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† St. Olympias the Deaconess, Candida and Gelasia The wondrous Olympiad 314 came from an aristocratic Constantinople family and was very rich. Her father was Senator Anisius Secundus, and her mother was the daughter of the pious Eulavius, prefect of the praetorium under the blessed Constantine. She lost her parents at a young age. Therefore, the guardianship of her estates was entrusted to her uncle Procopius, and Theodosia, the aunt of St., was engaged in her upbringing. Amphilochios and St. Gregory of Nazianza, intelligent and virtuous, to whom she was entrusted by her father. Since she was rich and learned, many sought her hand in marriage, and while still young she was betrothed to Nebridius, the prefect of the capital. Beautiful poems were sent (in 384) by the wondrous Saint Gregory as a gift to Olympias, who was entering into marriage 315. But 20 months after the betrothal, Nebridius died; Olympias remained a widow and at the same time a virgin 316. Many after that sought the hand of the Olympics. Emperor Theodosius the Great himself suggested that she marry Elpidius, a young aristocrat of the Spaniard, a relative of the king. But she rejected the offer, and “If the Lord wanted me to be his wife, he would not have taken Nebridius from me,” she answered. Theodosius repeated his offer, but also received a refusal. The emperor was offended and, going to war with Maxim (388), ordered the prefect of the capital to take custody of her estate until she was 30 years old. The prefect, while serving Elpidia, acted insultingly towards Olympias: she was forbidden to visit bishops, and she was not allowed into the church of God, just to force her into marriage. The Olympics endured everything complacently. She wanted to embarrass herself even more. She wrote to the emperor: “Sire! you showed me a mercy that is worthy not only of a sovereign, but also of a bishop; Trusteeship of the estates frees me from many worries. For my greater happiness, deign to command that everything be distributed to the churches and the poor. For a long time I have been afraid of the inclinations of vanity, which so easily arise when distributing estates. Temporary blessings, perhaps, could distance my heart from true blessings, spiritual and eternal.” Theodosius then lived in the west and, when, after a three-year absence, he returned to the capital, he returned (in 391) all the estates to its full disposal. “Such a virtuous and intelligent girl knows better than us how to use the blessings of time,” said the sovereign. Having received freedom from her estates, blessed Olympias squandered her funds on works of mercy with a generous hand. There was no city, no village, no desert where they did not enjoy the favors of the famous Olympics. She delivered offerings to churches, monasteries, cathedras, hospices, prisons, and places of exile. It is impossible to count those slaves to whom she granted freedom by paying money to their masters 317 . St. Chrysostom compared her mercy to an abundant river that carries its waters to the very borders of the earth and enriches the sea. And he convinced her, and she humbly obeyed, to limit her generosity, to measure it not by requests, but by needs. Despite her wealth, Olympias led the life of a humble servant of God. Brought up in pomp and luxury, she abandoned all the pleasures of the world and led a simple life. She never ate meat; did not take baths, which are so necessary in a hot climate. Night vigils became a habit for her and her time was devoted mainly to prayer. Her behavior with others breathed Christian modesty and sincerity. “Her appearance is open, her disposition is sincere, her clothes, even dressed in rags, would seem worthless; Her meekness was such that it surpassed the simplicity of children, says an eyewitness! 318. St. Chrysostom, consoling her in her sorrows, wrote to her from captivity: “You have by nature received the most tender and weak body; the noble breed has provided you with all the ways to nourish him luxuriously; but you have so exhausted him with various sufferings that now he is no better than dead. You have voluntarily created in your body such a kind of disease that neither the art of doctors nor the power of medicine can cure them... You are not overcome by a passion for carnal pleasures and therefore there is no difficulty for you to abstain from them. You have trained your body to accept so much bread and drink just so as not to die. I’ll say a few words about this simplicity and unrefinement that you observe regarding the dress. This virtue seems to be inferior to others; but if you examine it carefully, you will find that it is very majestic, that it requires for itself an intelligent soul, standing above all worldly things, soaring to the sky. For this reason, not only in the new, but also in the old testament, God forbade the passion for clothes and said: the daughters of Zion are exalted and walk with their necks high and their eyes darkened and their feet treading, dragging their garments along the path and playing with their feet: and the Lord will humble the chief daughters of Zion... And instead of a stench there will be a stench, and instead of a belt there will be girded (Is. 3:16–23)... Paul, speaking to secular women, not only turns them away from wearing gold clothes, but does not allow them to dress in valuable clothes (1 Tim. 2:3). For he knew, knew well, that panache is a serious illness of the soul; a disease that is difficult to fight is the surest sign of a bad heart” 319. Also St. Nektarios, Patriarch of Constantinople, dedicated St. Deaconess Olympics. What were Olympias's occupations as a deaconesses? The first concern is looking after the suffering and unhappy wives. “At dawn you can see: many old women and widows crowding around the dungeon; even the famous ones serve the prisoner and spend the whole night with her; delicious treats are brought and holy books are read to them,” this is how the pagan wrote about Christian deaconesses. Deaconesses taught the female sex the Law of God, especially during preparation for baptism. The 4th Council of Carthage decreed: “widows or initiates who are elected to the ministry at the baptism of wives must be so prepared for the position that they can teach simple rural women with clear and ecclesiastical rules how to respond to the baptized at baptism and how to live after baptism.” Deaconesses served women during the sacraments, during baptism, during communion, during confession, during marriage; they supervised the deanery of the wives in the house of prayer, decorated the churches and monitored their cleanliness. Serving the sacraments and the sisters was a pleasant experience for Olympias. An eyewitness of her life wrote: “she nourished the priesthood, respected the clergy, helped widows, fed orphans, visited the sick, cried with sinners, returned the lost to the path of good, - many wives who were married to the pagans, instructed them in the faith and gave them the means of subsistence” 320. The virtues of Olympias were the subject of wonder and consolation for the whole Church. Famous saints of that time spoke about her with deep respect. Saint Amphilochius, St. Epiphanius, St. Peter of Sebaste, St. The bishop optat took advantage of her generous charity and praised the Lord for her. With her hands she covered the eyes of the dying patrons. Nectarius and Bishop Optat. She also did good to those archpastors who were not distinguished by high morality, such as Akakios, Antiochus, Severian; she respected their high rank. A storm of troubles arose on St. The Olympics from the time the persecution of Chrysostom began. Chrysostom's first enemy, Theophilus of Alexandria, was the first enemy and blessed. Olympics. She lovingly received him in her house when he was in the capital, treated him and gave him gifts. When she accepted, as she accepted all the monks and sufferers, the great brothers expelled from Egypt by Theophilus’s pride, Theophilus began to disgrace her with vile slander. The empress’s anger, which persecuted Chrysostom, also raged against Olympias, who respected Chrysostom and was respected in the world and the Church. Especially when the fire devastated the St. Sophia Church and the Senate, the anger of Chrysostom’s enemies fell upon those who defended Chrysostom. They said that the fire was their business. Prefect Optatus the pagan took Olympias for interrogation. “Why was this fire started?” he asked her. “My life, which I have led until now,” answered Olympias, frees me from the suspicion expressed by you. Whoever gave away so much money to build churches, of course, is not in a position to burn them.” The prefect ordered the innocent party to contribute a commensurate (huge) sum of money 321 to cover the damage to the treasury. Weighed down by sorrows, Olympias fell into illness, which tormented her all winter. At the beginning of spring she was ordered to leave the capital. For a long time she wandered from one place to another, not knowing where to lay her head. In mid-autumn 405, she was ordered to return to the capital. Even now she was accused of causing discord in the Church. She could not help but consider Chrysostom innocently exiled, and the sufferings of the great saint caused her soul deep suffering 322. But all the more so did she honor his commandment and did not separate from the Church according to his will. “She submitted to her bishops with all piety,” says a contemporary – and adds; none of those close to her ever noticed that this Christ-bearing woman reproached anyone” 323. They called her to court many times; shameless servants disgraced her; they tore her dress. Some of her estates were sold at public auction, others were ruined by the mob, and for others they dragged her through the courts. Her own servants, to whom she did good as a mother, rebelled against her, at the instigation of her enemies. Her soul suffered greatly; St. Chrysostom wrote to her: “stop crying, stop torturing yourself with sadness; do not look at these misfortunes that come towards you incessantly, coming one after another without an interval; think about freedom, which is so close; think about the unspeakable rewards that your misfortunes will bring you... What does it mean to be thrown out of your fatherland, to be transferred from place to place, to be a captive, to be persecuted everywhere, to live in exile, to be dragged through the courts - to receive insults from people who have received thousands of benefits, to be tortured by both slaves and freemen - what does all this mean when the reward for all this is the whole sky? . “She taught many other wives,” writes Heraclides about St. Olympics, and St. Chrysostom wrote to the Olympics itself: “I am especially pleased that you, having freed yourself from litigation and assignments, put an end to them worthy of you. You did not cowardly reject them, did not delay them in vain, did not humiliate yourself in the courts and troubles associated with litigation” 325. Like the words of Heraclides, so the words of Chrysostom make it possible to see that in recent years his blessings. Olympias was the abbess of the nun sisters. By cutting off ties with the world, the blessed one wanted to protect herself from the squabbles of the court, as well as from the accusations that rained down on her indiscriminately, as if she, the first deaconess, was the reason that many did not want to know the new patriarch. The world doesn't like to blame itself for anything; he is always right in his eyes, and only others are to blame; blind from passions, he sees neither himself nor others. Therefore, the anger of the world haunted the Olympics in her solitude. Under Attica, the community of sisters of Olympias was expelled from the capital to imprisonment in Cyzicus. St. Chrysostom wrote then for the Olympics: “how glorious is virtue, which despises all the upheavals of real life! Through those trying to humiliate her, she makes her ascetics stronger, higher, more invincible... This is how, my most God-loving lady, you should amuse yourself and those who are fighting with you in the present glorious struggle! This is how you approve the thoughts and spirit of all (virgins), setting up your squad” 326. The holy virgin Olympias remained in captivity until her death, which followed in 410. “The best inhabitants of Constantinople,” wrote Palladius in 420, consider her among the confessors and are confident that she, who suffered for the truth and for God, inherited a blessed life” 327. Her holy body, laid in the church of an unknown town, performed miracles. 200 years later, savages burned the church, but the saint’s body remained unharmed. When they transferred him to Constantinople, blood flowed from him as if from a living person, as a sign of the innocent suffering suffered in earthly life. The relics were placed in the monastery founded by the saint 328. “In the footsteps of the Olympiad,” says Palladius, Blessed Candida, the daughter of the commander Trajan, led her life pleasingly to God. She achieved high purity, wisely decorated churches, out of reverence for the mysteries of Christ, she honored bishops and respected the entire clergy. Having taught her daughter the rules of virgin life, she gave her to Christ as a gift from her heart. Then she herself, having distributed her property, followed her daughter and spent her life in purity and chastity. To exhaust her flesh, she worked whole nights, grinding flour with her own hands and baking prosphora. Since fasting alone is not enough, she said, I add to it a grueling vigil in order to crush Esau’s lust. She did not eat animal meat at all, but ate only fish, butter and vegetables, and that only on holidays; at any other time she was content with water mixed with vinegar and dry bread. Having led such a harsh life, this illustrious wife fell into a blissful sleep and now enjoys the eternal blessings prepared for those who love a virtuous life” 329. Like this pious wife, the glorious Gelasia, the daughter of a tribune, walked the path of righteousness with zeal and piously bore the yoke of virginity. This wonderful virgin had a special virtue that the sun never set on her anger on a slave, or on a maidservant, or on anyone else (Eph. 4:26). Gelasia was afraid to remember the insult or trouble caused to others. Forgive and you will be forgiven (Luke 6:37), such is the will of God, she told herself. Without loving your neighbor, you cannot love the Lord; and there is no love in him who is angry with another, who does not forgive him for everything. Anger is the work of a corrupt soul (John 5:20). Anger is madness (Proverbs 27:4). Wrath rests in the heart of a fool (Eccl. 7:10). Unfortunately, no one's anger is as ugly as the anger of a woman (Sir.27:33). Further, further from him, perhaps it’s childish kindness: it is so pleasing to the Lord. He told us: unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3-4). In this way, through childish kindness, the blessed one entered into the blessed life 330. † Venerable Eupraxia, mother and daughter, Abbess Theodula and Venerable Julia Under Emperor Theodosius the Great, there was a senator in the royal city, Antigonus 331, close to the emperor both by kinship and official relations, smart in words and deeds, a benevolent adviser, who ruled Lycia honestly, a compassionate person. The emperor loved him not only as a senator, but also as a Christian, always ready to give the best advice. He was rich like none of the modern nobles. His wife Eupraxia was also related to the emperor's house and was also pious. “She, offering prayers to God with tears, made many offerings to churches and monasteries.” God blessed the good couple with the birth of their daughter Eupraxia. Both father and mother were very happy. At one time, Antigonus says to his wife: “You know, good Eupraxia, how insignificant this life is, how insignificant wealth is, how insignificant the pomp of this world is. We waste our days in vain if we do not care about the salvation of souls.” Eupraxia said: “As you command, my lord, so we will live.” He continued: “God gave us a daughter; enough for us, and we will no longer share beds.” Eupraxia answered with delight: “Blessed is God, who gave you a holy thought. I've been praying for this for a long time. The time is short, says the Apostle, “let those who have wives live as if they do not have one (1 Cor. 7:29).” Antigonus generously gave alms from that time on. And a year after the vow he died peacefully. The emperor was struck by grief over the loss of a man who, due to the strictness of his rules and his experienced mind, was very difficult to replace with anyone. Moreover, he tried to console the widow. When her daughter was 5 years old, the emperor, who declared himself her guardian, advised her mother to betroth her to the son of an honest and wealthy senator. The mother agreed with the smart advice and accepted the gifts. Meanwhile, at the same time that the mother was arranging the fate of her daughter, her own hand was sought by a nobleman who, secretly from the emperor, was seeking the help of the empress, and the empress took the side of the seeker. With the greatest amazement, Eupraxia accepted the offer made to her on behalf of the empress. She, without requiring time to think, flatly refused the seeker. The emperor, having learned about this, was very dissatisfied with his wife. He knew Eupraxia's determination to serve the Lord; to propose marriage to her meant to insult her undeservedly, - this is how the emperor understood the matter. Noticing with sadness that the foolish invitation to marriage became the cause of coldness between the emperor and empress, Eupraxia secretly went to Egypt, under the pretext of necessity, to inspect her estates. Along the way, she visited many monasteries, leaving generous alms in them. The Tavenn convent of Amma Theodula with 130 sisters was famous for the severity of its rules 332. “Here they did not drink wine, apples, grapes, dates, or anything else pleasant to the taste; others did not even eat oil; some fasted from evening to evening; others took food every other day, and some after two or three days. Not one washed her feet; others, having heard about the bathhouse, laughed and considered it a vile thing, intolerable to the ear. For each bed there was earth, covered with a hair shirt a cubit wide and three lengths long, and here she rested. Their clothes were made of wool and reached to their heels. Each one worked as much as she could. If someone fell ill, they did not turn to medical benefits; they accepted illness as a blessing from God and patiently endured suffering if healing was not sent by the Lord. Not a single one went beyond the gates of the monastery. There was a gatekeeper, all answers were transmitted through her. Their whole concern was how to please the Lord with their prayerful thoughts. Therefore, God performed many signs here, providing healing for those who came here.” Deeply amazed by such a life of nuns, Eupraxia often visited their monastery with her daughter, who was eight years old. She gave the monastery candles and incense. Once she said to the abbess: “I would like to provide the income of the monastery with 20 or 30 liters (pounds) of gold, so that you may pray for your servant and for her father Antigonus.” The abbess answered: “My noble lady! Your slaves do not demand either gold or property; they have left everything in order to deserve eternal blessings, and they shun everything worldly, fearing to lose the Kingdom of Heaven. So that you do not be sad with us, bring us oil for lamps and incense for censers, and for this you will be rewarded.” When this was brought, Eupraxia asked to pray for Antigonus and his daughter Eupraxia 333. The abbess loved to work with little Eupraxia. Does she like the monastery and the sisters? she asked the girl. “I like it very much,” she answered. “If so, why don’t you stay with us?” continued the abbess. “I would stay with great pleasure,” the girl objected, “but I’m afraid that this would upset my kind mother.” “Whom do you love more,” said the abbess, “us, or your fiancé, to whom you are engaged?” “I don’t know him at all,” answered little Eupraxia, “and he doesn’t know me either; and I know and love you; but who do you love: me or my fiancé? “We love you very much,” answered the abbess; “We love our Lord Jesus Christ most of all.” “And I,” said the girl, “love you very much, and more than you I love the Lord Jesus.” This conversation was conducted joyfully. Mother Eupraxia expressed her joy with tears. When it was necessary to leave the monastery, Eupraxia’s daughter announced to her mother that she wanted to stay in the monastery. Trying to dissuade her, they told her that she could not stay in the monastery except by vowing to devote herself to Christ. The girl asked: “Where is Christ?” The abbess showed her the image of the Savior. The girl rushed to the icon, kissed it and firmly said: “truly, sincerely, I make a vow to Christ and will not return home with my mother” 334. Then they decided to let her spend the night in the monastery, believing that she would not want to stay longer. But the next day they were convinced that her intention had not changed. The abbess noted that if she wanted to stay, she must memorize the entire psalter, must fast until the evening and sleep little. The child agreed to everything, insisting on staying in the monastery. This determination was so extraordinary that the abbess said to the mother: “Is it not God Himself who inspires such a desire in your daughter? Apparently, the virtues and prayers of her parents called upon her the special grace of God. Leave her with us." Eupraxia's love for the Lord was higher than her tender affection for her only daughter. She led the girl to the image of the Savior and, raising her hands to the sky, said with a loud cry: “Lord Jesus! take this child under Your protection.” Then, turning to her daughter, she said: “May the Creator, who established the mountains, establish you, my daughter, in His fear!” Then she handed her daughter over to the abbess. A few days later, the abbess, with prayers in the prayer house, dressed the girl in the clothes of a hermit. Her mother asked her: “Does she like the new outfit?” The girl answered that she loved him more than anyone else, because Christ gives him only to the chosen ones. “May He make you fully worthy of His merciful election,” said the good mother. She hugged her, said goodbye to the abbess and, entering a lonely life, decided to choose a new path for herself. She continued her acts of generous charity, but at the same time she became stricter with herself - she stopped drinking wine, meat, fish, and ate only vegetables, once a day. The emperor, hearing about the change in her life, was amazed and glad. In the exploits of her spiritual life, Eupraxia the Elder approached the end of her life. This was revealed to the abbess of the monastery, where her daughter remained. She saw in a dream Antigonus, surrounded by light and asking the Lord for permission to bring his wife. The abbess announced this to Eupraxia herself. Eupraxia was already so strong that she considered only heaven her homeland. Having learned that the end was near, she thanked the Lord for the sign of His mercy towards her and asked to complete the mercy of her repose in His saints. When the mother conveyed the news to her daughter that her death was near, the daughter, carried away by her tender affection for her rare mother, sobbed inconsolably that she had to part with such a mother. To calm her down, her mother reminded her that she had vowed to love the Lord Jesus above all else. “Here,” she said, “is the testament of your beloved mother: love the Lord Jesus with trembling reverence; respect your sisters; never dare to think that they are inferior to you and can serve you; be poor in your thoughts in order to enjoy spiritual treasures; you now own all my fortune; deliver what is needed for the monastery; pray for your father and for me, that He may grant us merciful forgiveness.” Three days later she died and was buried in the monastery 335. Having learned about the death of old Eupraxia, the emperor ordered that the senator’s son be told about it and informed that since his daughter accepted monasticism, his connection with her was terminated. Then, yielding to the requests of the senator, he himself wrote to his daughter and asked her to return to Constantinople to enter into the promised marriage. Eupraxia answered the emperor: “Do you really want, good emperor, for your servant to leave the eternal Christ for a mortal man? After all, he could be food for worms tomorrow. May God deliver me from this crime! Tell this person better not to bother you anymore and to forget about the one who is not able to break the vow given to the Lord. I beg you, in memory of my parents, to divide all the property they left among the poor, orphans and churches. I am sure that you remember my parents and especially my father, who enjoyed such trust in you. In the name of him and my mother, I ask you to turn all their wealth into deeds pleasing to God, give freedom to all slaves and forgive the debts of debtors and mercenaries of the lands. Deign to dispose of everything so that I can freely serve the Lord. Pray to the Lord and the good empress that I may be worthy to be a worthy servant of Christ the Lord.” Eupraxia's letter was read in the Senate and communicated to the groom. Everyone saw that young Eupraxia was the worthy daughter of Antigonus and Eupraxia, the holy branch of pious parents, and no one thought any more about returning her to the world. The emperor ordered that her wishes regarding her inheritance property be immediately fulfilled with all precision. This was just before the death of the emperor († 395). Eupraxia was then 12 years old. Her successes in spiritual life were beyond her age. Freed from worrying about her property, she devoted herself entirely to serving the Lord. Love for repentance called her to intense fasting. At first she ate once a day; soon afterwards - once every two or three days. She gave herself up to the lowest obediences, and was a slave to every sister of the monastery. She did not pay attention to the weakness of her constitution and carried out the work equally with others. It was a rule of the monastery that the sisters should announce to the abbess every temptation they experienced. Eupraxia, like many, was completely amazed and alarmed at the first attacks of the evil enemy; she resorted to the advice of her sister Julia, who was given to her as a leader. According to her instructions, she revealed to the abbess the state of her soul at every temptation and therefore emerged from the battle as a winner. The experienced abbess not only prayed with the sisters for the young ascetic, but with advice she led her, as it were, along the steps to a high life. Eupraxia, according to her advice, not only obeyed silently, which was easy and pleasant, but also in that which offended the strings of pride. Humility, assimilated more and more by Eupraxia, smoothed the road to high exploits for her. In the 20th year of Eupraxia, when, in addition to her intentions, she had become an amazing aristocrat, the abbess subjected her to a cruel test. She ordered her to move a pile of stones from one place to another. The stones were heavy, but Eupraxia carried them. The abbess ordered them to be moved to their original place. Eupraxia performed. Thirty times the abbess ordered the stones to be carried from one place to another. And Eupraxia dragged them thirty times, without saying a word about the weight of the stones or anything else. The sisters were amazed at such humility of Eupraxia. And the Lord gave strength to the weak Eupraxia to fulfill obedience. After a strong temptation, Eupraxia begged permission from the abbess to spend a week without food - a fast that only the abbess held. Her firmness in asceticism was rare. She spent whole hours reading aloud to her sisters, preparing a meal for them; tidied, cleaned, chalked in the monastery; chopped and carried firewood; kneaded dough and baked bread. These were her daily labors. And she managed to do everything, so no one was unhappy. At the same time, she did not consider herself to have the right, either day or night, to be exempt from morning prayers, the third, sixth and ninth hours and all services. Despite all the work, she not only did not become exhausted in strength, but became stronger in health. Who would have thought that a soul so exalted could be reproached? But the Lord allowed one sister to rebel against her out of envy. This sister was Germana. She was of low birth and had a low heart. She was one of those who live in a monastery to test others. Germana reproached Eupraxia for hypocrisy and ambition, attributing all her works and exploits to them. She assured that Eupraxia fasted only in order to humiliate others and earn the position of abbess, which she was impatiently awaiting. Eupraxia was not offended by Germana’s reproaches; she meekly explained that she was fasting at the behest of the abbess, and then fell at Germana’s feet, begging her to forgive her sinner. The abbess called the evil sister to her and, assigning her special obedience, said that she was unworthy to live with others. Eupraxia spent a month begging the abbess to forgive Germana, then she persuaded Julia to have all the sisters ask the abbess for poor Germana, and finally achieved that the abbess forgave the culprit. The blessed one faithfully fulfilled the commandment of the Apostle: “Do not repay evil for evil or curse for curse; on the contrary, bless” (1 Pet. 3:9). An evil spirit rose up against Eupraxia with obvious violence. Once he pushed her into a well when she was getting water, in another he threw her from the top floor of the building; then he overturned a cauldron of hot food on her; and there, when she was chopping wood for the common kitchen, he pushed, and she cut her leg so that she lay unconscious, covered in blood. Only by the special protection of God was Eupraxia delivered from death 336. The presence of the spirit of God in Eupraxia was revealed by an unexpected incident. The woman brought a child, stricken with paralysis and deprived of hearing and language; She tearfully asked to pray for the child’s health. By the will of the abbess, Eupraxia accepted a child from her mother. Making the sign of the cross over him, she said: “Poor thing! May the Merciful Creator heal you!” She wanted to carry him to the abbess, but she had barely carried him a few steps when the sick man was healed, asked about his mother and, breaking away from the hands of the holy virgin, ran as if he was not sick at all. After this experience, the abbess instructed Eupraxia to look after the demoniac who had lived in the monastery for a long time. She was kept in chains, and even then they did not dare to approach her; food was served to her in a basket on a long pole. When Eupraxia wanted to feed the demoniac, she gnashed her teeth and rushed at her. The holy virgin threatened the unfortunate woman with the abbess's rod - and the demoniac subsided. Then she accepted food from the hands of Eupraxia. Since then, Eupraxia freely, without fear, served the patient, whom no one else dared to approach. Proud and envious Germana once volunteered: I too can feed this unfortunate woman. She approached her, but the demoniac rushed in and threw her to the ground, tore her clothes and began to bite and torment her. Eupraxia came running and saved the bloodied Germana from the demoniac. The abbess said that Eupraxia must cast out the demon from the sick woman. The holy virgin was deeply embarrassed by such an order. Prostrating herself before the icon of the Savior, in the consciousness of her weakness, with a groan she called on God’s help. And she went to the demoniac. The sisters watched from afar what would happen. Approaching the demoniac, Eupraxia says: “May my Lord Jesus Christ, who created you, heal you.” And she made the sign of the cross on her forehead. Suddenly everyone hears a voice: “how? I’ve been living here for so many years, and this unclean and lustful woman wants to drive me out?” Eupraxia said: “It is not I who drive you out, but Christ God.” “I won’t go out, toadstool,” the spirit shouted. “I am truly filthy, full of all uncleanness,” said Eupraxia, “but the Lord commands: come out of her.” No matter how hard the demon resisted, finally, with Eupraxia’s strong prayer to the Lord, he came out screaming. Eupraxia cleaned up the former patient, who had hitherto lived in disgusting uncleanness, and brought her to the abbess. After that, Eupraxia did not live long, having matured for heavenly life. About her imminent death was revealed to the abbess, who, hiding her sadness about the imminent loss, only told the sisters the day before that the end of Eupraxia was near. The sisters were struck with deep sorrow. Eupraxia, having heard the abbess’s announcement from Julia, fell to the ground unconscious. Out of humility, she considered herself not at all ready for that life, and that is why she was so shocked by the news of her imminent death. She prayed out loud: “Lord! leave at least one year for my earthly life, so that I can repent of my sins and do what is pleasing to You; I have no good deeds to obtain the reward of the righteous.” The abbess consoled her with the goodness of the Savior. It was then that fever broke out. The abbess and Yulia spent the whole night with the patient. Julia begged her to ask the Lord when she would appear to Him, so that she too would soon appear there. In the morning, all the sisters said goodbye to the dying woman and, to the sounds of their quiet prayers, Eupraxia fell asleep sweetly, in the 30th year of her life, in 410. After three days spent in tears, Julia joyfully announced to the abbess that Eupraxia had begged the Creator - and they were taking her there. The next day, saying goodbye to her sisters, Julia died peacefully. No more than a month passed when, at the request of Eupraxia, the abbess was given the same mercy. She announced this to the sisters and offered to elect an abbess. Sister Theognia was chosen. The abbess told her: “I beg you in the name of the Holy Trinity not to seek estates and wealth, do not occupy the sisters with concerns about temporary things, let them cherish one heaven; “You, dear sisters,” the abbess said, turning to them, “try to imitate Blessed Eupraxia if you want to share her heavenly bliss.” Having parted with everyone, the abbess locked herself in the prayer room, and the next day they found her dead. Eupraxia, Julia and Abbess Theodula were laid in the same grave (in 410) 337. The biographer says that Eupraxia performed many miracles in her afterlife. The pure dove Eupraxia trembled when she learned of her imminent death; She, who had labored for 20 years, said that she still needed to repent. What about us? Of course, almost everyone does not want to die. But why? Is it because they have not yet repented of their sins? Is it because the offended are not satisfied? The poor were not given all possible assistance? Are children not raised in the fear of God? If only it were like this! If only all this would not be a foreign matter for us! They want to live simply, without any care, or, even worse, they want to live to envy the peace of others, to argue and quarrel for a warmer, more visible place... Lord! through the prayers of Your righteous women, enlighten and save us. † Repose of Rev. Macarius of Zheltovodsk and Unzhensk The son of pious residents of Nizhny Novgorod, Rev. Macarius, as a child, was trained in book wisdom, and he showed in himself special gifts of mind and a love of learning 338. As a young boy, he secretly left his parents’ house and, on the way, changing his clothes to the clothes of a beggar, he appeared at the Pechersky Monastery to Archimandrite Dionysius, asking for tonsure. To the questions: who is he and where is he from? He answered that he was a rootless orphan and wanted one thing - to work for the Lord. Dionysius, seeing his intelligence and purity, tonsured him and accepted him into his cell. Macarius was then only 12 years old, and he began to struggle with all the fervor of his youthful soul, and was obedient to everyone in the monastery, especially to the abbot. Three years later, the father, having learned where his son was, came to the monastery and begged to be allowed to see his beloved son, whom he considered either torn to pieces by the beast, or died another sad death. The son, who dedicated himself to the Lord, said that his father was the Lord, and after Him he was superior. The father, hearing his voice behind the wall, said with tears: “My son, my son! let me look at you." Macarius answered: “It will be better for both if we don’t see each other here; I’ll see you there – in eternity.” “I don’t want to interfere with your good intentions,” said the father; I rejoice in your salvation; but I won’t leave my cell until I see you.” The blessed one remained firm in his determination; then the father asked his son to give him at least his hand. To calm the sobbing father, the son put his hand out the window. The father grabbed her, kissed her and said: “Now save yourself in the Lord, my son! and pray for us." Living in the monastery, blessed. Macarius labored sincerely. His post was higher than others; he took food so as not to die of hunger; although he always went to meals with others, he ate with the fear of God and therefore very little. With such a life, they began to distinguish him with attention. This was difficult for the humble soul and, ardently desiring silence, Macarius decided to retire into the desert. Secretly leaving the Pechersk monastery, Macarius came to the river. Luh; fell in love with the place on the river flowing into it. Dobritsa, built himself a hut and began to live alone with the Lord. Little by little, zealots of piety began to gather to him and remained to live with him. Over time, a monastery was formed, with a church in honor of the Epiphany 339. Having established a monastery, the monk again began to seek silence and, having appointed an abbot for the brethren, secretly withdrew. Moving from desert to desert, he came to Lake Zheltoye, which is on the left bank of the Volga. Here he dug a cave for himself and began to struggle in it, as before, in fasting and prayer. Here they recognized the great ascetic, and not only believers, but also admirers of the false prophet looked with reverent surprise at the strict life of the hermit, wondering where so much strength came from for such a difficult life as Macarius led! They brought him bread, honey, and other necessities of life. He accepted with gratitude, but not for himself, but distributed it to those who came to him, who began to visit him, wanting to hear his instructions. When a sufficient number of desert-loving brethren gathered to join him, he built (in 1435) a church in the name of the Holy Trinity and was dedicated to the abbot of its monastery. For everyone he served as an example of work and humility; He himself prepared food for the brethren. – His love and humility attracted to him not only believers, but also Chuvash, Cheremis and Mordovians; treating them kindly, he conveyed to their hearts the truths of the holy faith of Christ, and many of them were baptized according to the conviction of the saint; just before the gates of the monastery there was a lake, which was later called the Holy Lake; here the monk baptized pagans and Mohammedans 340. In 1439, Ulu-Makhnet, having established himself in Kazan, which had previously been deserted, began to move his power to the borders of Russia. His son Mamotyak attacked Nizhny and its environs. Crowds of predatory Tatars, like waves, spilled over the Russian settlements, and left everything to devastation 341. they unexpectedly rushed to the Makariev monastery, ruined it, beat the monks, and took Makariy himself to the uluses 342. When Ulu-Makhmet saw Macarius, then, knowing his high life, his meekness and charitable love, he expressed indignation at his stupid robbers and honorably released Macarius; out of respect for him, he gave freedom to other Christians, so that up to 400 people came out of captivity with Macarius; but the word was taken from Macarius - not to live on the Yellow Water anymore; that land, said the predatory Mohammedan, belongs to us. Macarius also begged permission to bury the beaten brethren in the ruined monastery. “Here is a man of God,” said the khan, having heard this request; he cares not only for the living, but also for the dead.” Having mourned the suffering brethren, the monk convinced those who came out of captivity with him not to settle in their former places, otherwise the Tatars would put them to an evil death. Everyone agreed to go to the Galich side, 240 miles away, and, after praying to God, they set off through forests and swampy places. On the road they ran out of bread, and hunger began to torment those unaccustomed to it. Rev. Macarius began to pray, and behold, they found an elk stuck in a narrow place. This was during the Apostolic Lent. The travelers asked Macarius for permission to satisfy their hunger with elk. But he did not bless them to break their fast and urged them to be patient until the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. “Believe me, brothers,” the monk added, the elk will be in your hands when the time comes to resolve the fast: be patient for three more days, and the Lord will save your life.” The travelers listened to the monk and, having cut the elk’s ear, let him go, and the monk prayed to the Lord to strengthen his weak comrades. By the mercy of the Almighty, even small children remained alive, having been without food until the Feast of the Apostles. On the feast, the monk, moving aside from the others, knelt down and, giving thanks to the Lord for His omnipotent grace, prayed to Him to saturate his smooth companions. And then suddenly the same elk that had been released three days before appeared. He was caught with delight and brought to the saint; the saint joyfully blessed him for the meal. “Trust, my friends, in the Lord,” he added. He will not leave us in the future." And sure enough, after that they came across an elk, then they easily caught a deer, and so they safely reached Unzha. Unzha is a very ancient Russian city, 343 but there were still few villages near it and there were no monastic monasteries at all when Macarius appeared here. Macarius's companions told the residents of Unzha who Macarius was, how he delivered them from captivity, and how miraculously he fed them on the road. And the Unzhans accepted Macarius as an angel of God. “But the monk was in a hurry to find a silent place for himself; he was pointed out at 15 ver. from the city, on the shore of Lake Unzhi, a place surrounded by forest, flat and beautiful; he erected a cross here, built a cell and settled. This was in 1439. Continuing his ascetic life, the monk became famous for the gift of healings: he overshadowed a blind and demon-possessed girl with prayer and the sign of the cross, and she began to see and ceased to be sick. In a half-mountain, not far from his cell, he brought out water through prayer, and this water healed the sick. - In the 5th year of his settlement on the lake. Even in the 95th year of his life, the monk approached his death. He fell ill in the mountains. Unzhe also commanded that his body be buried in his desert. Upon the repose of the saint of God, a fragrance filled the air. The inhabitants, reverently fulfilling the will of the saint, carried his holy body into the desert, and on the road many sick people received health from his relics. Blazh. his death followed on July 25, 1444 344. Soon after the death of the saint, lovers of desert life settled in his desert - they erected a church over his tomb and started a monastic hostel. In 1522, dense crowds of Tatars surrounded Unzha and besieged the weak city for three days, but could not take it, frightened by the vision of the formidable monk. On the fourth day they threw fire into the city, and the city caught fire. The people repeated one thing in horror: “St. Macarius! help us." And suddenly the rain began to pour down, the fire was doused; and the Tatars rushed to flee the city in horror. At the same time, a separate detachment of Tatars of 300 people ruled the Makariev Hermitage: some wanted to tear off the silver shrine, but were blinded. This terrified everyone; They rushed to run, but many drowned in Unzha. - At the same time, one woman was captured by the Tatars, she was beautiful, but strictly chaste. For three days she did not eat anything and did not sleep, praying to St. Macarius about delivering her from sin and captivity. On the fourth night she fell asleep and saw a magnificent old man standing at her head and saying: “Get up and follow me.” She jumped up and found herself untied and already in reality she saw in front of her the old man of the form in which the monk was painted on the icon - she followed him, and when it began to get light, the old man disappeared; and she found herself not far from Unzha. Voivode Ivan Vyrodkov suffered greatly from wounds received in a skirmish with the Tatars; and by order of the leader. The prince was supposed to go against the Tatars together with the governor Zabolotsky; No matter how others tried to persuade him not to bother with the hike, at his will they took him in a cart and brought him on the road, and partly carried him, to the monastery of Macarius. Here he mentally prayed to the monk for help and, seeing a vessel with water, asked him to drink; to the amazement of the monks, he drank a lot. “Where does this water come from?” he asked. “From the well dug by Rev. Macarius,” answered the monks. “In my life I have never drunk anything sweeter than this water,” he said, and then felt completely healed 345. In 1532, through the prayers of St. Macarius escaped from the Tatars Soligalich, and grateful residents built a chapel in the cathedral church in honor of the Venerable. Macarius 346. During the pogrom of Polsky, the residents of Yuryevets, Nizhny and Suzdal experienced in various forms the wondrous protection of the saint of God from the wicked Lyakhs. Tsar Michael himself then made a vow to go to venerate the saint if his father Philaret was freed from Polish captivity 347. In 1619, investigators sent to the place found that, according to the testimony of outsiders, various sick people were healed by the Rev. Macarius more than 50 people, some of them were sick for 20 years, others for 12 or 10 years. The healing of others beyond the distance could not be verified by the testimony of outsiders, but there was no doubt: there were 23 such people. This is what P. Philaret wrote to his son Ts. Michael, who was then on his way to venerate St. Macarius. The Patriarch added in the same letter: “in the life of Macarius it is written that Met. Macarius knew the virtuous life of Macarius of Zheltovodsk” 348. This meant that the life of St. Macarius was described back under Metropolitan. Macarius, and the description was delivered to him, like other lives. The relics of the saint now rest in a silver shrine. “God-bearing Father Macarius! Since your youth you have followed a hard and sorrowful path; With virtues you rose to the heights, like fruitful grapes, and with sincere love you followed your Master. That is why he became a citizen of heaven. Ask Christ for protection from the temptations of demons; pray to Christ God to grant our souls peace and abundant mercy” 349. Dormition of St. Anna, mother of the Most Rev. Mother of God. – She died at the age of 79, in Jerusalem. See about her on September 9th. Holy Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council. About this council, see July 16th. Her life according to Lavzaik and Nicephorus - in Chetye-Minea July 25th day - Weiss. Leben d. Heiligen 16 December. In Greek, two lives are known from manuscripts. Ladricii bibl. gr. X, 300. Op. S. Gregorii Naz. 2, 1542–1550, ed. Migne. Creation St. Gregory 5, 240–242. Palladium in a conversation about Chrysostom: “having been left an orphan, although she was given in marriage, according to the general opinion, she was not deprived of the purity of virginity: she lived with her husband for about 20 months, and he unexpectedly paid tribute to nature by death.” Lavzaik: “in fact, she was not anyone’s wife.” Menologist Vasily: “she was called a bride, but was not a wife: he who understood her went to the Lord, and she remained a virgin and at the same time a widow.” Palladius in Dausaic speaks of her deeds of mercy as an eyewitness of them: “I saw with my own eyes the life and angelic disposition of this blessed virgin, as her spiritual and sincere friend and closest relative, so she instructed me to distribute her wealth.” Letters of Chrysostom to the Olympiad, pp. 37–41. St. Petersburg 1853 Palladium, in Lawzaic, ch. 126. Letter of Chrysostom to the Olympiad, 6, § 4. Lavzaik, ch. 126. Chrysostom, going into exile, called the deaconesses Olympias, Peutadia and Proklia and the good widow Salvina to be the baptismal maid and said to them: “Whether I will see you, I don’t know; but I ask you not to separate yourself from the Church for the bishop who will be installed in my place; obey him as you obeyed John.” Lavzaik, ch. 126. Heraclides, ch. 43. Menologue: “adorned with the crown of confession. Sent into exile for telling the truth, she endured many sorrows.” Her memory is in Greek. Church on July 25, in Rome on December 17. Lavzaik, ch. 127. Heraclides, ch. 44. In the Martyrology of Usuard under August 29, “the death of the holy virgin Candida.” Les vies dessaintes Solitaires, 2, 245. Amsterdam. 1714. Lavzaik, ch. 128. Heraclides. Ch. 44. Life of St. Eupraxia, described by a contemporary, in vitis Patrum. 1, 623–642 Act. sanet, ad 13 martii, in Chete-Minea July 25. The Greek text is in the Bollandists, - and in Mina - the ancient Latin. Vita: monasterium mulierum – habens architria centum triginta, – “monastery. - women's, - where there are one hundred and thirty cells." Vasily’s menologist: “entered the monastery where its four virgins spent their life as equals to the angels.” The last number is almost a scribe's error. The Egyptian Patericon records the following about donations to the monasteries of virgins: “Abba Dula, a disciple of Abba Vissarion (a contemporary of St. Theodula), was told: so and so, who served us, died and during his lifetime gave his villages to the convent of 300 fasts. The elder said with sorrow: Oh, unfortunate one! I lost my reward." We argued and said that on the contrary, he acquired a reward by helping the fasting women. The elder told us: believe me, brothers, I am saying what is known from experience. After I saw Abba Gerasim of Jordan and the fact that after his death the lion roared over his tomb and then died, I was greatly amazed and began to give away my property. I thought of giving one village to the fast women of the great church of Alexandria. Having come to Abba Isidore, I said: I want to renounce the world and, having distributed the rest, I leave the village for the fasting women; Augustal will give me 70 liters of gold for it. Should I sell it? The elder said: if Augustalius gives 50 for it, give and give the gold to the fasting women and you will have a great reward from God; if you give the village to them, you will involve them in troubles and relaxation. Without listening to the elder, I gave the document secured by the court to the village fasting women and entered the monastery. After some time, I dreamed that I was in Bethlehem. The altar is full of light, bright faces sing; there is a wife in purple and in indescribable glory. One with a menacing voice and a stern look told me: “Eustathius, answer for the fasting women - because of the villages they anger the Lord; I will destroy you if you do not correct the evil.” The wife, dressed in purple, says: “Your intention pleases Me, child! but fasting women suffer in soul and body; those who have renounced the world must serve the Lord in silence.” Pointing her hand at my accuser, she said: “This is John the Baptist, mentor and abbot of the nuns. Mark his heart, She told him, so that he firmly believes what was said and corrects the matter.” He marked my heart. And I came to my senses. I immediately went to Abba Isidore and told him about the vision. We came with him to the fasting women and, calling the elders, said: the royal official is going to take the village for the patriarchate - should we sell it to the prince so that you can receive the gold? Do as you please, they said. I immediately sold the village of Augustalia for 60 liters, excluding the cattle, and I placed the gold before the altar of fasting women. When we were returning, I told the Abba: I almost died with the fasting women. “Don’t say this, my son, it’s a sin,” said the elder. He who gives mercy to fasting women will receive much greater rewards than he who gives alms to the lame and blind. They are also weak, strange, renounced by the world; They cannot go out to beg, nor sell handicrafts: otherwise one of two things happens to them, either they are wounded or wounded. Therefore, whoever gives them wheat, beans, money, clothing, wool, flax, without forcing them to leave the monastery, will have great boldness before God. Whoever gives a monastery a women’s or men’s village returns the monks to worldly concerns and prevents them from remaining silent.” Prologue for May 23. Memory of Dula Ave. June 15; memory of Vissarion Ave. June 6. Rev. Gerasim of Jordan died in 475, next. what Abba Dula tells happened in 476. This is a story about a vow before St. Damascus cites the icon of the Savior in the 3rd word about the veneration of icons. He has a rev. Theodula deaconess (διαϰονῆ), in vitis patrum abbatissa; in Chet-Mineya the abbess, in one place “the abbess, who is also a deaconess.” The example of Theodula the Deaconess, who was also an abbess-nun, on the one hand proves that it was in vain that the title of deaconess was taken as evidence that the deaconess was not a nun; on the other hand, it must be assumed that almost all the ancient abbess were deaconesses, although the currently known lives do not say this about each of them. The Church remembers her on Cheese Saturday among the ascetics, under the name of the elder Eupraxia. In addition, the Greek Menaion shows the memory of St. Eupraxia - on January 11, and among the Copts - on March 26 (22). Vasily’s menology and prologue: “she achieved so much in virtue and rose so much above the needs of nature that she stood motionless for 45 days with her hands raised to the sky.” The lengthy life according to Mina’s edition does not speak about this. But in Chet-Minea there is a story about that. Rev. Theodula, like both Eupraxia, is remembered on Cheese Saturday. Under the name of Iulitta, remembered at the same time, of course, Julia. In addition, the Orthodox Church celebrates St. Eupraxia is on the 25th day of July, and the Roman one is on March 13. For the Copts, Eupraxia is on August 2 (July 26) and Julia, Eupraxia’s friend, is on August 5 (July 29). Ludolfi comm. r. 424. RKP. life of Ave. Macarius - in b. total ist. No. 54. Tsarskogo No. 743. In Chet-Minea on July 25 with few changes. Now here, in the Macarius Monastery near the settlement of Romny, there is a church of the Holy Trinity with a chapel in honor of the founder of the desert, St. Macarius. Statistics materials, p. 161. Collection l. 5, 267. Field history. Poe. V, 336. Stichera: “God’s wrath came upon people, the barbarians took your abode captive and your children took swords, like they devoured classes.” Menaea of ​​July. M. 1646 Sunday letop. 1219: “Bolgar came to Ustyug and took with flattery and then went to Unzha. The Unzhans fought them off.” Shchekatov (4, 13. 15), and for this the dictionary of saints of 1836 and the monthly calendar of 1856 attributed the death of St. Macarius by 1504, this is a mistake. According to the RCP. life, he reposed on July 6952 (1444), 25 days. The legend about the life and miracles of St. Macarius. M. 1850 Description Makariev Unzhensky Monastery, pp. 1–19. M. 1844 F. m. internal cases 22, 11; RKP. Soligalich chronicle. Sunday monastery Life pr; Macaria, part 2, pp. 50–53. M. 1550 Here the entire second part consists of descriptions. various and numerous miracles of St. Makaria. Letters Russian. Sovereigns No. 19 and approx. to No. 4–6. M. 1848 Between the RCP. n. Philaret, according to the 1630 inventory, the service and life of St. Macarius - in two copies. Ivanova described. state arch. 292. 293. M. 1849 Stichera of the service to Ave. Macarius in the Menaion Μ. 1646