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St. Martyr Anastasia of Rome Anastasia, having lost her parents when she was only three years old, was taken to be raised in a community of virgins, located in a secluded place near Rome. The pious leader of the Christian community, Sophia, raised the orphan with maternal love, and God blessed her labors with gracious success. Having reached the age of 20, Anastasia was distinguished among everyone by her high qualities of soul, hard work and piety; at the same time, her spiritual beauty was matched by her remarkably beautiful appearance, which attracted the attention of many residents of Rome to her, and the noblest and richest people wanted to marry her; but, from childhood, accustomed to place her joy in serving the one God, Anastasia rejected all the offers of those who sought her hand; Despite her youth, she did not find anything attractive in any of the brilliant worldly blessings that presented itself to her, and did not want to exchange her quiet, humble life in the community of virgins of prayer for them. But if worldly goods did not attract her and did not serve as a temptation for her, then the temptation was not slow to appear in another form: under the influence of the fear of the cruel persecution of Christians from the Emperor Valerian that was revealed at that time, when in the community it was ordered to capture “believers in the Crucified One,” Anastasia could have wished to save herself from a martyr’s fate by agreeing to marry one of the influential citizens of Rome, but even before martyrdom she did not Her love for God receded, and at a time when all the other ascetics of the community decided to seek salvation in flight, she remained in the community, listening to her teacher Sophia, who told her that “the time had come for her to suffer for the sake of her beloved Christ”... - And having begged the soldiers to give her time to decorate Anastasia, for whom, as it turned out, they were sent at the direction of the pagans, who had received from her a refusal of their marriage proposals to her, Sophia led her pupil to the church and, placing her in front of the altar, began with tears to convince the young Christian to prepare for the feat awaiting her. “I beg you, my beloved child,” she said to Anastasia, “do not be afraid now to prove that love for Christ in which I raised you from childhood... May my labors and prayers for your union with God with all my heart and soul not be in vain... Do not let yourself be deceived by insidious admonitions and promises of earthly blessings. When they frighten you with all sorts of torments, then answer that you are not afraid of anything and will not be embarrassed by anything, because your God is with you. And when they torment you, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul... Rejoice when you suffer, remember that during your suffering Christ Himself, who suffered for you, will stand before you; when you are exhausted, He Himself will strengthen you and send joy to your soul, and will not retreat from you until He takes you from the hands of those tormenting you and takes you into His heavenly bright abode, where you, together with all the heavenly powers, will stand before His eternal glory and recognize bliss, inexpressible in human language... Go there, go with joy to the Divine Lamb, for the sake of martyrdom He is stained with suffering, adorned like a luxurious wedding robe!” – “My heart is ready to suffer for Christ! – Anastasia responded joyfully, “don’t be afraid and don’t be embarrassed about me, my mother, who raised me!” I believe that Jesus Christ will strengthen me; and you pray to Him that He will not retreat from me during the exploit for the sake of His holy name" ... Meanwhile, the hour of testing was approaching. The soldiers, impatiently awaiting their sacrifice, went to look for it and found ascetics in the church, not engaged in bodily adornments, but enjoying their dying spiritual conversation. They took Anastasia away from her elderly teacher and presented her in chains to the ruler in Rome. Struck by the beauty of Anastasia, the pagan began to convince her to spare her beauty, not to deprive herself of earthly happiness, to recognize the gods... With imperturbable firmness, the Christian answered him with a confession of her faith in the true God - Jesus Christ. Seeing the impossibility of convincing her, the ruler ordered her to be tortured. Anastasia was stretched naked and tied to four posts; in this position they beat her with sticks, and a fire was lit from below, which severely scorched her; then they planed her beaten and scorched body with iron; nipples cut off; nails and teeth were pulled out; the martyr, instead of suffering cries, sang psalms... her tongue was torn out. Seeing the exhaustion of the bleeding martyr, one Christian, named Kirill, gave her water to drink. For this he was immediately beheaded. However, the people, who consisted mostly of pagans, although accustomed to such cruel spectacles, began to be indignant at such inhuman torment and to reproach the ruler... Then the mutilated body of the martyr was beheaded and thrown outside the city to be devoured by beasts. Upon notification of an angel who appeared in a dream of the elderly Sophia, she found the remains of her beloved pupil and, with the help of Christians, gave them burial. The eternal memory of the martyr is expressed by St. Church in the following hymn: “O venerable one, purified by the waters of virginity, by the blood of martyrdom, Anastasia, having been crowned, gave healing to those in need of ailments and salvation to those who come from the heart; For Christ gives you strength, exuding ever-flowing grace.” St. Muchch. Claudia, Asteria, Neon and Feonilla These three brothers and sister, whose homeland was Laranda in Lycaonia on the borders of Pisidia and Isauria, suffered during the persecution of Christians under Diocletian in the year 285 on August 23, according to a report against them by their stepmother, who wanted in this way to win a lawsuit about an inheritance that arose between her and her husband’s children. From the description of their suffering in the proconsular acts, it is known that “Claudius, the elder brother, was presented to the ruler of Cilicia, Lysias, in Egi, after the confession of St. faith and renunciation to make sacrifices to the gods, hanged on a tree; His legs were set on fire, his heels were cut off, then he was tormented with claws, his body was planed with tiles and burned with candles, and he was imprisoned. His second brother, Asterius, having confessed the faith in one God, transmitted to him by his parents, was also hanged on a tree, beaten with rods and sinews on his back and stomach, while there were coals under his feet; then imprisoned. The third brother, Neon, after breaking his neck, was stretched out on the ground, sprinkled with hot coals and beaten with sinews; Finally, all three were condemned to crucifixion outside the city. Feonilla, being naked, beaten in the face, hanged by her hair and after confessing that she had been a widow for 23 years in fasting and prayer, was cut with a razor, girded with thorns, stretched between four stakes, beaten with a belt all over her body, sprinkled with coals on her stomach, betrayed her spirit to God and thrown into the sea in a sack" (see "Month. East." Archim. Serg. vol. II, part 2, p. 345). St. Abramius the recluse and blessed Mary, his niece From his youth, the Monk Abramius loved prayer and fasting, visiting church and reading the Holy Scriptures; Obeying the will of his parents, he got married, but on the seventh day he left his wife, left the city (Tenia near Lampsacus) and settled in a cell. His parents found him, but he told them: “Leave me to live here, in silence, for the love of God!” After the death of his parents, he distributed all his property to the poor and remained a monk for 50 years. The bishop of that area ordained him as a presbyter (non-parish) and entrusted him with preaching about Christ to the pagans along the Hellespont seaside. Abraham had a brother who had a daughter. After his brother’s death, his friends brought seven-year-old orphan Maria to him. He ordered her to stay in the outer cell, he himself locked himself in the inner one and taught his niece books through small doors. Mary lived in fasting and prayer for 20 years, but a certain deceitful monk, who often came to Abramius, found a convenient time and seduced the girl. In grief and despair, she went to the city of Ass (sixty miles from Lampsak) and began to live in a hotel. Two years later, Abramy found her and convinced her to return to an honest life, saying: “I answer to God for you and take on your sins!” He shut her up in the inner cell where he himself lived before. He died around 360, and Maria died about five years after him. † Venerable Anna of Bithynia The father of Blessed Anna 378 was a deacon of the Blachernae Church and left his daughter a young orphan in the arms of her grandmother. The grandmother found her a husband without asking about her wishes, while Anna did not want to be married. Once married, she went to her uncle on Olympus. The strict ascetic, who suffered torture for professing Orthodoxy, regretted that the young servant of God was given into the service of man. Under Empress Irina, a strong confessor was summoned to the capital to listen to his advice. This was, of course, during the meetings of the Ecumenical Council of 787 on icons. At this time he saw his dear niece and said to her: “Be strong and courageous, there are many sorrows for the righteous; Know also that a child will be born to you before your husband dies.” The prediction came true. After the death of her husband, having raised the child, the blessed one entrusted him to a relative, and with another orphan she prayed earnestly in one church or another. The Olympic ascetic saw her again. She complained about the severity of her life. “Didn’t I tell you that the righteous have many sorrows,” said the seer, “you must endure, but your children will soon die.” This prediction also came true. Under the influence of such tangible providence of God, according to the instructions of such an experienced and wonderful mentor, Anna’s soul burned with complete love for the Lord. Worldly advisers, perhaps, offered advice: why not marry the widow another time? Others were ready to give even smarter advice - to live as life happens. But can people give better advice than the advice of the Apostle, inspired by God: “It is more blessed if she remains thus,” without another husband, he says about the widow (1 Cor. 7:40). Wasting energy on the emptiness of inquiry - is it smart? “It is not smart to choose worldliness for one who was promised so many joys, and who, instead of joy, experienced so much bitterness” 379. Shouldn't we live the life of a monkey? God forbid from that! This is not an honor for the conscience of a pagan, much less a Christian. After earthly life we ​​will have to live forever: what will we live with there? You lived for people and the earth, you must live for your soul, which is dear to everyone; we must live for the Lord our Creator and Savior. That's what smart Anna thought. Having given away everything she had, she went to churches and prayed. Then, having met a kind old monk, she accepted monasticism. Copronymus brought terror with his cruelties against the nuns. Pious Irina tried to calm the Church; but they had little hope for future peace, and this disposition of minds was justified by events. With the name of the monk eunuch Euthymian, Anna hid in the Bithynia monastery 380. Here the strict life of the new monk was an example for others: the eunuch was the most diligent worker of obedience, a stern faster and an ardent prayer book. P. Tarasius (784–815), having heard about the high life of the monk Euthymian, summoned him to the capital for conversations. The instructions of a strong soul attracted many to her; from the multitude of those who wanted to listen to her, the monastery turned out to be cramped, and the patriarch built a new monastery. Euthymian also became famous for his gift of miracles; but this did not protect him from sorrows. The monk-preacher of the people easily fell under slander. The false monk, who later turned out to be a robber, having committed violence against the girl, divulged that the sin was created by Euthymian. Evfimian was silent. The God-loving wife, listening to the slander of the shameless one, said: “Look, brother, that the eunuch defamed by you would not turn out to be a holy virgin and you would not suffer for your sins.” an unscrupulous person and after that did dirty tricks for the holy soul. The monk endured it, and the convicted villain was hanged. Since the fame of her name was not easy for the saint, and they began to guess about her gender, then, returning to Bithynia, she spent the remaining years of her life in deep solitude. Ripe for heaven, she reposed on October 29, 826. † St. Avramius of Rostov The Monk Abramius, in the world Averky, in his young years was taught by his pious parents bookish wisdom and piety 381. Zealous for spiritual life, he left his parents’ house and accepted monasticism. According to the highest inspiration, he came to Rostov, built himself a hut near Lake Nero and began to labor in fasting and prayer 382 . – There were still pagans in Rostov at that time: “The Chud end worshiped the stone idol” Veles. This filled the God-loving soul of Abram with deep sorrow: he grieved over the blindness of people and over the appropriation of that honor to a soulless idol that belongs to the only God. Sorrow prompted me to earnestly pray to the Lord for the destruction of the works of the spirit of malice. He deeply felt his weakness for a successful feat against the long-standing delusion of people and asked for help from above. He was once sitting in deep thought near Veles and saw an old man coming. “Where are you coming from, man of God?” Abraham asked the elder. “I am a stranger on your side,” he answered and added: “You are grieving about something!” “Yes,” said Abramy, I pray to God for the destruction of the idol, and my prayer is not being fulfilled.” “If you want,” said the elder, “to have your desire fulfilled, go to the east, find the house of John the Theologian and pray to his icon.” Avramiy was saddened that he had to go so far. The elder said: The Lord will shorten your path. - Avramy decided to follow the advice and had just crossed the Ishnya River, which is 4 miles from Rostov, when he met an old man, whose appearance involuntarily forced him to revere him. His face was majestic and clear - gray-haired, with a long beard and an almost hairless head. Avramiy involuntarily fell at his feet. “Where are you going?” asked the wondrous old man. “To the house of John the Theologian,” answered Abramius. “Take this cane of mine,” said the elder, go to Veles and hit the idol with it with the words: in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, John the Theologian commands you to lament.” – He said and became invisible. Abramius fulfilled the will of the Apostle, and the idol crumbled. At the place where the Evangelist appeared, Abramius built a church in the name of the Evangelist: to this day, 4 versts from Rostov, on the banks of the Ishni River, there stands an ancient wooden church of John the Theologian, as a reminder to posterity of the Apostle’s good deed to the country 383. – On the site of the destroyed idol, the monk built a church to the glory of the Epiphany of the Lord and founded a monastery with it. – The pagans more than once planned to burn the monastery of Avramiev; but the power of God and the patience of Abram overcame the anger of the people. According to Abraham's beliefs, many pagans were baptized. The monk tried to act especially on pagan youth: he taught children to read and write, baptized them and then tonsured them into monasticism. – When the number of monks increased, Avramiy, with the help of benefactors, built a spacious church in place of the small one and purchased books, icons and utensils for it. The monk set an example for the monks; He himself participated in all the labors of the brethren, worked in the bakery, chopped wood, washed hair shirts for the brethren. The bishop suggested that Prince Vladimir establish the monastery of Avramy as an archimandrite, and Avramy was honored with the rank of archimandrite. The holy zealot of the holy faith did not escape even after that persecution of evil people: on the basis of a false denunciation that he had found a rich treasure, they took him into custody and presented him to Vladimir Klyazmensky. – His meekness and sincere piety saved him from torture: Prince Vladimir found the denunciation to be slander of malice and ignorance. The acquitted Avrami began to be an object of love and respect more than before. Finally, he died at a ripe old age and was buried by his disciples in the monastery he created. This is the ancient news about the Monk Abraham! According to this narrative, compared with the chronicles, the exploits of St. Avramia against Veles must be attributed to the time following the death of St. Leontius, and not by 990, as others have shown. Vladimir on Klyazma, where the Monk Abramius was at the trial of Prince Vladimir, was built by Vladimir Monomakh 384. – The rank of archimandrite, with which Abramius was honored, has become known since the 12th century, and from the fact that before the Monk Ignatius, Archimandrite of the Epiphany, bishop since 1261, there are only 7 abbots, successors of the Monk Abramius, according to the synodik, it is clear that the Monk Abramius died at the very beginning of the 12th century 385. On the other hand, when St. Isaiah arrived (in 1077) in Rostov; he found in Rostov those unconfirmed in the holy faith, but not pagans. Thus, the saint’s exploits against Rostov paganism began in 1073, and his ascetic life in the monastery continued for more than 30 years. As for the news dating back to the time of St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, those who trust them find in them obvious fabrications and arbitrariness of later times 386. Under his grandson, Monomakh led. Prince Vsevolod Georgievich (1176–1212) found the incorruptible relics of St. Abraham 387. Now they rest openly in a silver shrine, in a stone church built in 1553 by order of the Terrible Tsar. Here, with the relics, is the archimandrite’s hat of the Monk Avramius, low, embroidered in gold, with an ermine trim. – Here is a copper cross, part of the rod with which Abramius crushed Veles; the rest, most of it, was taken by Tsar the Terrible to Moscow 388. “Zealot of the Apostles, Reverend! you were honored to talk with the Theologian and, having received the rod from him, you crushed Veles and, having destroyed the intrigues, led the infidels to the faith of Christ. Now pray to Christ God for those who honor your memory.” “You have appeared as a source of blessed water, blessed Abramius! give me a source of tears, so that I may wash the passions of my soul and whiten my blackened soul with the light of repentance” 389. Prologue about her. Chet-Minea, Greek. Minea October 29. Du-Cangii Const. chr. r. 118. Chrysostom de non iterando coniugio. Or. I, 459. See further about St. Mavra and Anfusa. The very circumstances of the time showed that the rule of the Gangra Council, which strictly condemned “any woman for the sake of imaginary asceticism, instead of ordinary women’s clothes, would put on men’s clothes,” did not apply to Blessed Anna. Right 13. In addition, the council condemned the proud Eustathians themselves. He condemned not the clothes, but the pride of the schism that invented its own rules. The Eustathians were the same proud fanatics of their charter as the Russian schismatics. Sozomena, ist. 3, 14. Epistola Synodica gangrensis ar. Beveregium. RKP. Life of Ave. Avramia, the eldest, written no later than the 14th century. (description of music, pp. 212, 598. 600. Synod. b. No. 556). It is with minor changes - in the prologue and part 29 Oct. Second RCP. life of the beginning with the words: “even the saints marvel at the good works” (description of music, p. 208) written in the second half of the 16th century. Third Life, with extracts from the Menaion of St. Demetrius and the following psalter are in the Valaam Rule and were written no earlier than 1706. Just as the second narrator supplemented the first, so the third - the second. The first life and the differences of the second one. in memory, old Rus. letter. 1, 221–225. According to the second life, Avrami lived on Valaam before Rostov and was tonsured here. The third life adds that Avramiy Chukhloma pagan Iverk was baptized with the name Averkia on Valaam “in the monastery of the Holy Trinity.” But how can one not notice that the monastery church on Valaam is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Savior? It is not difficult to see that Iverk is a common name for Averky, and the brave storyteller based on a name that was misunderstood, built a legend about the baptism of the pagan Iverk on Valaam. The story about Averky's tonsure on Valaam is late and is not justified by any ancient monuments. – In the monastery of the Holy Trinity, the monk was tonsured. Avramy Chukhlomsky, not Rostov. Ts. Theodore Ioannovich, with his letter, confirming his father’s letter, secured the Bogoslovskoye settlement on the river behind the Epiphany Monastery. Ishna with transportation and fishing (Yarosl. diocesan journal. 1861, No. 33). The Tsar, without a doubt, only confirmed the orders of the princes of Rostov - about the Theological. Years. at Karamz. 2, pr. 238 dates the construction of Vladimir Klyazmensky to 1116. In 1096, Oleg came from Murom to Suzdal, from Suzdal to Rostov, captured the Suzdal and Rostov people, but neither Vladimir nor the Vladimir people have yet been seen on his campaigns. According to Oleg's history, it is likely that the population of Vladimir on the Klyazma began following the victory over Oleg, to counter the plans of the restless Oleg. The historian Pogodin believes so. Yaroslavsk. diocesan led 1861 No. 33. Christ. Thurs. 1850 1, 59–63. 1853 1, 413–418. The writer on pp. 415–417 himself points out fictions in the second and third lives of the monk. East. Hier. III, 64, 65. Services of Rev. Avramia - in the RKP. Rumyantsev No. 397. Tsarsky No. 563. And in the oven. less for Oct. M. 1645 written under Tsar Grozny. Rev. Abraham the Wonderworker in gram. 1563 East. act. 1, 320 and in grams. 1652 East. ak. IV. 172. East. Hier. III, 64. Tolstoy shrine of Rostov, pp. 45. 46. Stichera and trope. 9 pes. canon in min. for Oct. M. 1645.