23-го числа

Holy Hieromartyr Polycarp, Bishop. Smirnsky In continuation of the long life of his St. The Apostle John the Theologian formed numerous disciples who actively contributed to the spread of the Gospel teaching. – Church history calls such evangelists who accepted the teaching about Christ directly from the Apostles “men of the Apostles.” One of the most famous among them and who shone throughout the world with his high Christian life and martyrdom was one of the beloved disciples of St. Apostle John the Theologian, who listened to other Apostles, St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. He received his first education in Smyrna - in the house of a pious and rich widow Callista, who, having no children of her own, sheltered this orphaned youth. He turned out to be completely worthy of this benefit, since from childhood he was remarkably kind and pious. Callista loved him like a son, and when he came of age, she entrusted him with the management of her entire house; dying, she made him heir to all her estate. But earthly blessings did not attract the young man’s soul, and his heart could not bear to live in abundance when around him he met numerous poor people who did not even have the necessary things. Blessed Polycarp immediately used his property for the benefit of those in need, and he himself devoted himself to strict abstinence among his occupations, which consisted in the study of St. Scripture, in prayer and serving the sick and elderly. Bishop Vukol, who was then in Smyrna, was appointed by his teacher himself - St. The Apostle John drew attention to this pious young man. Polycarp, a convert from paganism (as can be seen from the following words of his later letter to the Philippians: “I did not yet know God, when you, taught by Paul, knew Him”) Bishop Vukol, seeing his zealous faith, made him first a cleric, then a deacon. The Apostles Paul and John the Theologian, who were then preaching in Asia Minor, fell in love with Polycarp. He was their student, an imitator of their life, an accomplice in their labors, accompanying them to many cities of Asia Minor and helping to spread the teachings of Christ. By the will of St. Apostles of St. Vukol, upon Polycarp's return to Smyrna, ordained him a priest. In this rank, he zealously preached to the people, told them what he had heard from the beloved disciple of the Lord John about the life and miracles of the Savior, explained the law, wrote many messages to the Church of Christ and successfully converted the souls of the pagans to the Lord. After the death of Bishop Vukol of Smyrna, “St. Polycarp, the interlocutor of the Apostles, was ordained to the bishopric of the Church of Smyrna by eyewitnesses and servants of the Lord” 330. He soon became the most respected bishop of Asia Minor. His friend, St., mentions his holy life in his epistles. Ignatius the God-Bearer. – Imitating the example of John, the Apostle of Love, Polycarp, both in his private life and in his public activities, was particularly merciful and did good even to the enemies of the faith – the pagans, who therefore revered him. By word, and by his own example, and by working miracles, confirming in the faith of Christ, St. Polycarp also zealously guarded the purity of the Christian faith, tirelessly pursuing false heretical teachings. However, when the matter did not concern the essential foundations of faith, then the same strict guardian of truth was wary of and avoided violating peaceful relations with those who had different opinions from his on certain, unimportant aspects of the subject, preserving in any case Christian love and communication. For example, he not only did not dissolve the alliance with the Roman Bishop Anicetas over the disagreement that arose between them on the issue of the time of celebrating Easter, but he made every effort to pacify the excitement aroused among the faithful. Being already in his advanced years, he deliberately went to Rome for meetings on this issue with Bishop Anicetas, and although this meeting did not lead to an agreement between the pastors, nevertheless, the dispute was resolved in the spirit of peace and Christian love, namely, each Church was given the freedom to preserve its local custom, which did not act to the detriment of the dogma itself. Meanwhile, during Polycarp’s stay in Rome, he had to fight against real evil, namely, the heresy that then arose in the Church, and he successfully acted against the followers of Valentinus and Marcian; He converted many of them to Orthodoxy and severely rebuked Marcian himself when, having met him one day by chance, Marcian’s impudent address to him with the words: - Get to know us!... - the bishop answered: - “I know you, the firstborn of Satan”... The grace of God apparently rested on the virtuous servant of the Church - Polycarp; by its power he performed many miracles, with which he confirmed the faith he preached. In this way he healed the servant of the city chief from demonic possession, stopped a devastating fire in the city, and stopped the lack of rain. He himself was protected by the wonderful power of God. One day, when he was traveling and stopped for a night's rest at a hotel, he was suddenly awakened by a vision of an Angel, who ordered him to immediately leave the hotel, and barely had time to leave it when it collapsed... For many years St. wisely and graciously served as bishop. Polycarp in the Church of Smyrna. During this time, Christians were subject to frequent persecution; finally, in 167, when the saint had already reached a ripe old age, a new, severe persecution of Christians in Asia Minor arose under Emperor Mark Antoninus. Many Christians died in terrible agony; The time has come for martyrdom and for the luminous pillar of the Church of Christ - St. Polycarp. Embittered against him, as against a powerful preacher of the faith of Christ, the pagans and especially the Jews relentlessly began to demand that he be brought to trial. The saint was not afraid of death and with imperturbable calm waited to appear as a confessor of his God. But the Christians, for whom the life of their good teacher was dear, convinced him to leave the city and take refuge in a safe place until the fierce outburst of the pagans against Christians subsided, until the persecution ceased... St. Polycarp yielded to the desires and pleas of his flock and actually took refuge in one village, also bearing in mind the need to support the persecuted Christians in faith and patience. Spending most of his time here in prayer, he was once warned by a vision that his martyrdom was near. It seemed to him that his head was burning with fire... and he then calmly said to those who were with him: “I will be burned for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Indeed, soon after this vision the refuge of Elder Polycarp was opened. When the soldiers sent from Smyrna to take him arrived at the village where he was, they said: “The will of my Lord be done!” the saint himself went to meet them. The warriors were amazed by the majestic, unearthly calm of the old man and did not dare lay hands on him. Polycarp turned to them with meekness, invited them to strengthen themselves with beggars, and asked them for an hour of time for prayer. Having poured out his soul before the Lord and having received the grace-filled gifts of prayer, the righteous man went out to the soldiers, who put him on a donkey and took him to Smyrna. St. barely entered. Polycarp in the amphitheater, as he himself and those present heard a voice from heaven: “Take courage, Polycarp!” The proconsul demanded that Polycarp renounce Christ and blaspheme Him. “I have served Christ for eighty-six years,” answered the elder, “and He has not offended me in any way.” How can I blaspheme my King, Who saved me! “I have animals,” said the proconsul, “if you do not come to your senses, then I will order you to be thrown to them to be devoured... Do what you want,” Polycarp answered, “I still won’t exchange good thoughts for bad ones... Aren't you afraid of beasts? so I'll set you on fire... You threaten me with an quenching fire, but you yourself do not know that there is an unquenchable fire for unbelievers and those who commit iniquities... The judge ordered to proclaim: Polycarp is a Christian! “And then the pagans and Jews began to furiously demand his execution, shouting: “This is the corrupter of all Asia, the father of Christians, the destroyer of our gods... May he be burned!” And they hastily began to collect brushwood and make a fire. At this time, the tormentors were preparing iron and nails to chain the saint to the fire, but Polycarp said to them: “leave me, He who gives me the strength to endure the fire will give me the strength to be motionless at the stake and without nails.” Having ascended to the fire, St. Polycarp fixed his gaze on heaven and loudly exclaimed: “Father of your beloved and glorified Son, through whom we have received the knowledge of you! For everything I praise You, I bless You together with the eternal and heavenly Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, with whom be glory to You and the Holy Spirit, now and in future ages. Amen". Meanwhile, as the prayers of the righteous man standing in the midst of the flames ascend to God - as if as a sign of the Divine response to his prayer - a miracle occurs... The flame, rising higher and higher, forms a kind of vault over the one praying, without touching his body... He who has given up his body to the fire, but ascends with all his soul to God, stands unharmed... But can the blind see? Can hardened hearts be touched? A wondrous thing is happening, but it does not amaze or touch those who do not know God - it only confuses and irritates them... The crowd cries out for the executioner to pierce the heart of the confessor with his weapon through the flame... And behold, a long spear pierces his holy body... The martyr's blood gushed out abundantly, so abundantly that... it flooded the fire... The flame that flared up was miraculously doused, extinguished, but nothing can extinguish the flaring hatred of people in whose hearts there is no true Living God... The Jews ask the judge to order the body of the martyr, struck by a murderous spear, to be burned... They are afraid that Christians will not honor him as God. “They (Jews and pagans) do not know that we cannot depart from Christ, who suffered for the salvation of all, and worship anyone else,” write eyewitnesses of the suffering of St. Polycarp in their letter to all the Churches. – “We worship Him as the Son of God; and we worthily love the martyrs, as disciples and imitators of the Lord; loved for their unwavering commitment to their King and Teacher.” “The centurion, by order of the judge, burned the body of Polycarius,” the Smyrna Christians continue their letter, “but we collected his bones from the ashes, the most precious gold and valuable stones, and buried them in a pure place, where we will joyfully celebrate the day of his suffering, in memory of those who suffered for Christ, and to strengthen those who, with the same death, will confess and glorify Christ, our true God. We send this to you through Brother Mark; when you read, then deliver this message to the other brethren, and they too will glorify God, who has shown us such a faithful chosen one and who is able to fill us with His grace and bring us into His eternal kingdom with His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, to Him be glory, and honor, and kingdom, and majesty forever, amen.” From this letter it is clear that already in the 2nd century there was a custom among Christians to write down how the martyrs suffered and ended. Unfortunately, few such records with which one Church notified another have survived, since unbelievers tried to destroy all Christian manuscripts. After St. Bishop Polycarp's letter to the Philadelphians and his dying prayer, recorded by witnesses of his martyrdom, have been preserved. In his message, he urges Christians to improve their faith “in Him to whom all things are subject, to whom all things that breathe serve, who will come to judge the living and the dead,” he convinces them to firmness and patience by the example of Him “who suffered all things for us, that we might live in Him,” and by the example of the confessors of the faith. Irenaeus, disciple of St. Polycarp, testifies that St. Polycarp “wrote letters either to entire Churches to strengthen them, or to some brethren, teaching them instruction and exhortation.” “I can retell his conversations with the people,” St. also writes. Irenaeus, “how he recalled the words of the Apostles, how and what he heard from them about the Lord, and all his stories agreed with Scripture... How even in his old age he firmly remembered what he had heard from eyewitnesses of the Word, and with love he told his disciples what he had seen and heard from his beloved John.” About the messages of St. Polycarp of St. Irenaeus says that “those who care about their salvation can see in them the character of the saint’s faith and preaching about the truth.” Daughter of St. Gregory, Bishop of Nazianza, and St. Nonna, sister of St. Gregory the Theologian and Caesarea - St. Gorgonia was a worthy member of this holy family. She spent her life in God-pleasing and fruitful care for the fulfillment of her family responsibilities, she constantly strived for improvement and really succeeded in piety, her meekness, prudence and vigilant care for the peace of the family, for order in the house constituted the happiness of her husband and children, and although she completely devoted her life to her closest family, avoiding secular society, she nevertheless lived a virtuous life She did not remain unknown outside the house, and she enjoyed universal respect. Gorgonia was married to the chief of Iconium, Alipius, and had three daughters, of whom the eldest, Alipiana, distinguished by high qualities of soul, was especially loved by her uncle Gregory the Theologian 331. In the quiet and peaceful family life that Gorgonia led, there was, however, one circumstance that greatly worried her. Her husband Nikovol, distinguished by great virtues and high qualities of soul, had not yet been sanctified by the holy sacrament of baptism, and Gorgonia earnestly prayed to God to send her the consolation of seeing her husband as a Christian during his lifetime. Her righteous and fiery prayer was fulfilled, and when the sacrament of baptism took place over Nikovoul, then, already feeling the beginning of a mortal illness within herself, Gorgonia directed all her thoughts towards preparing for her departure from the earthly world into eternity... She was then only 39 years old, but, miraculously warned about the time of her death, she was not embarrassed by its prematureness and, having waited for the Lord to fulfill the cherished desire of her heart, she became peacefully and humbly await the last minute of your life. For her believing soul there was no separation from her loved ones, although they still remained on earth: for her there was only union with them in Christ, union with Christ, to whom she always strove with faith and purest love. Let us listen to the description of her brother the Theologian about her death: “When she was at her last breath,” says St. Gregory in the funeral homily for his sister - family and strangers stood around her, who had come to give the last kiss; the elderly mother sighed and was tormented in her soul (for she would have liked to precede her departure), common love was mixed with sorrow; some would like to hear something to remember from her, others would like to say it themselves; but no one dared to utter words; the tears were silent and the grief inconsolable; It seemed impermissible to accompany her departing in peace with sobs; deep silence was observed, and death had the appearance of some kind of sacred triumph. And she, apparently, was lifeless, motionless, voiceless; her silence made one think that the body was numb and the organs of the voice were already dead, due to the removal of what set them in motion. But the shepherd, who carefully observed all the changes in her, because everything that happened to her was miraculous, noticing a slight movement of her lips, put his ear to her lips, which closeness and unanimity gave him the right to do... She uttered psalmody, namely, the words of the original psalm, and (if it is necessary to speak the truth) testified to the boldness with which Gorgonia ended. Blessed is he who rests in these words: in peace together I will sleep and rest (Ps. 4:9). This is what you sang, this was fulfilled on you, most perfect of women; this was both psalmody and a tombstone after your departure, beautifully pacified by the rebellion of passions and, in the general course of the dormition, having tasted the sleep bestowed on the beloved of God, as was fitting for one who lived and departed with words of piety." Death of St. Gorgonia followed around 372. Saint Polychronios, Bishop of the Church of Apamea Saint Polychronios, bishop of the Church of Apamea (in Syria), contemporary of Ven. Marufa, Bishop of Mesopotamia. In 427, Theodoret ends his story like this: “Polychronius excellently shepherds the Apamean Church, uniting the celebrity of life with the celebrity of teaching” (For the works left after him, see “Teaching about the Father Ts.” Phil. Chern., Part III, p. 14). St. Alexander, the monastery of the Unsleeping First Originally from Asian countries. Having received his education in Constantinople, he entered military service there, but after a while he left it to serve one God. After his exploits in and Syria, he arrived in Constantinople “and founded the monastery of the Unsleeping. He died after 50 years of labor on July 3, 430. The Monastery of the Never Sleeping was so named because, according to the rules of the Monk Alexander, the monks sang the psalter continuously day and night on two choirs, alternating by the hour. (I remember the 3rd of July for the second time). † Memory of the Venerable Moses of Belozersk and Polycarp of Bryansk According to the description of the saints of Belozersky, “Reverend Moses, a perspicacious monk, in the settlement of Beloozero in the Trinity Monastery,” rested after St. Kirill of Belozersky (1427) and before St. Kirill of Novoezersk (1532). since the Trinity Ustshekhonsky monastery was moved to the Belozersky settlement around 1480 332, then the exploits of the Monk Moses the seer must be attributed to the end of the 19th century. The Venerable Moses is revered locally 333. All that is known about the Monk Polycarp of Bryansk is that he was the founder of the Bryansk Spassky Monastery and that after a long ascetic life he died as abbot of his monastery on February 23rd. In the inventory of monasteries of 1662 we read: “behind the Spassky (Bryansk) Monastery and Polycarp the Wonderworker there are 13 courtyards.” According to this news, the Monk Polycarp died before 1662 and this year was already known for his miracles. His relics have been buried under cover in the Bryansk Church of the Savior since 1764, after the abolition of the parish monastery 334. Celebration of the Sokol Icon of the Mother of God On the same day, the celebration of the Sokol Icon of the Mother of God. This icon became famous in 1172 and is located in the Church of the Transfiguration of the abolished (1786) Sokolsky monastery of the Poltava diocese. See January 25, life of St. Gregory the Theologian. East. Hier. 6, 587. l. 3, 472 about the beginning of the monastery, see May 28 h. East. Hier. 5, 288. Rkp. Saints: “Rev. Father Polycarp, abbot of the Spassky Monastery in Bryansk, reposed in L. 7507 m. Feb. at 23 days.” Notes Russian. archaeol. 2, 415. In the source. Hier. The Spassky Monastery, at the expense of Prince Boryatinsky, was built in 1694. There is, of course, a mistake about the year of the saint’s death (1699).