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Holy Martyr Dionysius the Areopagite “This is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith,” says the Apostle John. And indeed, not only simple-hearted people, not enlightened by scientific knowledge, such as were the first to perceive the truth from the lips of the Divine Teacher Himself - fishermen, future Apostles and enlighteners of the universe, but, as can be seen from the further history of the Christian Church, the highest minds of the most enlightened pagans were defeated by the superiority of the truth of Christ before all human wisdom and irresistible power and irresistibly entered the ranks who believed in the God-Man, and by their death sealed their faith in the one victorious truth. Among the first of these is St., remembered today by the Church. Dionysius the Areopagite. Dionysius, an Athenian of noble birth, studied Hellenic wisdom in his youth and surpassed all his peers in knowledge of philosophy; Wanting to improve in other sciences, especially in astronomy, for which Egypt was famous for its success at that time, Dionysius visited this country, and here, in the city of Iliopolis, he worked on expanding his knowledge and the science of the celestial bodies. At this time, the struggle and rebellion of darkness against the Light that illuminated it took place in the East. The darkness could not bear what was supposed to crush it, and rose up in the person of inveterate and hopeless envious people and hypocrites in order to destroy the One who brought the word of truth and goodness to the world: Jesus Christ was condemned to death on the cross. When this execution of God by people took place, when Christ said his last word on the cross: “It is finished” and gave up the ghost, then throughout the world the sun was eclipsed and darkness covered the entire earth for several hours... It was a completely extraordinary phenomenon. At this time, observing him as a man of science, Dionysius was amazed, and his bright mind, penetrating beyond the limits of human science, was inspired to recognize the extraordinary event taking place in the distance, which destroyed the old world and created a new one. - “Either the world ends, or God Himself, its Creator, suffers” ... said Dionysius to those around him. And the revelation of the Divine Secret, the veil of which was lifted at that moment before his spiritual gaze, was not hidden from him... Several years have passed. And so, the Lord directed his path to Athens at a time when the miraculously enlightened Apostle Paul himself was shedding the light of Christ among this city, and, “standing among the Areopagus (the supreme court of the most enlightened people of his time - the pagan Athenians), he addressed them with these words: “Athenians! I can see from everything that you seem to be especially devout. For as I passed by and examined what you honor, I also found an altar on which was written: To the unknown God. This, which you honor without knowing, I preach to you. God, who created the world and everything in it, He, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in churches made by hands, and does not require the service of human hands, as if He needed anything, Himself giving to all life and breath and everything. From one blood He brought forth the entire human race to inhabit the whole face of the earth, assigning predetermined times and boundaries for their habitation, so that they would seek God, lest they sense Him and find Him; although He is not far from each of us: for in Him we live, and move, and have our being, just as some of your poets said: we are His generation. So, we, being the race of God, should not think that the Divinity is like gold, or silver, or stone, which received its image from the art and invention of man. So, leaving behind the times of ignorance, God now commands people everywhere to repent. For He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man He has appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead.” When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said: We will listen to you about this at another time. And so Paul went out from among them. Some men, having approached him, believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite” (who was one of the members of the Areopagus). (Acts 17:22–34). So, one of the many believed, Dionysius, and, confirmed in faith by the miracle of healing the blind man performed by Paul in Athens, he was baptized with his entire household. But his soul was not satisfied with the mere acceptance of faith: he sought the active application of it... Leaving his family, Dionysius followed St. Apostle Paul and accompanied him for three years during his journey to preach the teachings of Christ, then he was appointed by the Apostle Paul as the first bishop in Athens. Here he contributed greatly to the spread of believers; Here he learned about the martyrdom of his teacher, the Apostle Paul. Finally, he himself died, after suffering, from the sword - in Athens, being 90 years old, in 96, during the persecution of Christians from Domitian. St. Dionysius the Areopagite is credited with writings on the names of God, on the heavenly and church hierarchy, on mysterious Theology, and also a description of the external appearance of the Mother of God, whom he was privileged to see three years after his conversion and to be with the other Apostles at her burial. The Holy Church prayerfully calls out to St. Hieromartyr Dionysius: - “Having passed through the gates of heaven in spirit, as a disciple who reached the third heaven of the Apostle, Dionysius, you have enriched the ineffable with all intelligence, and you have illuminated those who sit in the darkness of ignorance - we also call: Rejoice, universal father!” Holy Martyr Dionysius, bishop Parisian, and with him Presbyter Rusticus and Deacon Eleutherius Based on the research of Western hagiologists, one should distinguish St. Dionysius, bishop Parisian, from St. Dionysius the Areopagite, which are confused by other writers 49. St. Dionysius, also remembered today, lived in the 3rd century and was one of the most zealous servants of Christ, who went around Gaul, which was then under the rule of the Romans, to spread Christian teaching there and, acting successfully with the help of the presbyter Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius who accompanied him, founded a church in the then insignificant town of Paris. Further successes of the preaching of St. Dionysius were stopped by the then new persecution of Christians (according to some news, under Valerian in 253–260, according to others, under Maximian Herculius in 286–292) 50 . During this persecution, Dionysius, Rusticus and Eleutherius, as spreaders of the persecuted teaching, were captured by order of the ruler of Gaul, Sisinius, and forced to worship the pagan gods. “Are you, old man, that evil Dionysius who blasphemes our gods, turns the people away from serving them and acts contrary to the royal command?” – the ruler asked when the preacher, Elder Dionysius, was brought to him. “Although, as you yourself can see, I have grown old in body,” Dionysius answered him, “my faith flourishes with eternal youth and my preaching inexhaustibly gives birth to new children for Christ.” And then, to further questions, Sisinius answered him with a confession of the truths proclaimed by Christ. Rusticus and Eleutherius also firmly confessed the Holy Trinity. - Without having time to force them to renounce Christ, the ruler ordered them to be subjected to cruel torture. Suffering under blows on a red-hot iron grate, the martyrs sang psalms. After being imprisoned, they prepared for death and strengthened other Christians who came to them in prison. When they were condemned to be beheaded by the sword, Dionysius cried out to God: “My God! My God! Who created and taught me Your eternal wisdom, who was with me wherever I was, I thank You for everything that You have done for me for the glory of Your holy name, and for visiting my weary old age, eager to appear before You, and calling me; accept me and my friends!” calmly bowed his head under the sword. After this, the ascetics of Dionysius, Rusticus and Eleutherius, were also executed. The bodies of the martyrs were buried by Christians on a nearby mountain and glorified by many miracles. St. Dionysius, as one of those who enlightened France (formerly Gaul), is revered as the patron saint of this country. Venerable John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea. Originally an Egyptian, he labored in the desert of Huziv (between Jerusalem and Jericho); in 518 he was made bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, famous for his teaching and virtues, but seven years later he abandoned the throne and returned to his desert monastery, where he died around 532. Saint Hesychius the Silent Hesychius the Silent labored on Mount Athos. Having recovered from a serious illness, he secluded himself in his cell and remained silent for 12 years, without leaving it. His wondrous silence formed on Athos the monastery of the Silent Ones - Hesychasts, who, with their God-loving brotherhood, once represented an entire school of mental prayer or sacred work. Died in the 6th century. “Full. Months East." archim. Sergius. T. II, part 2, page 317.