Память преподобного отца нашего Иакова Исповедника

When the wicked Greek king Leo the Armenian 2109 renewed the iconoclastic heresy 2110, cursed by the holy fathers at the Seventh Ecumenical Council, and tortured many for the reverent veneration of holy icons, then this venerable James the Confessor also suffered, information about whom we have from the venerable Theodore the Studite 2111. Blessed Jacob was one of his disciples. After the expulsion of the Monk Theodore for the holy icons, many of his disciples were taken to torture; Blessed Jacob was also captured and given over to all kinds of torments. When the wicked Leo the Armenian was killed, Saint James, like other confessors of Christ, was released from prison, and, arriving barely alive at his Studian monastery in Constantinople, he soon died and was buried in a dignified manner. Blessed Hypatius, who served as abbot in place of his mentor Saint Theodore, notified the latter of his death in a letter to the latter, who was already returning from captivity and was temporarily staying in the Criscent monastery. The Monk Theodore wrote the following in response to him: “Not without heart disease, but also not without spiritual joy, my son, we received news from you about the death of our beloved brother, Christ’s confessor James. We regret him as a son, and, moreover, about such a son, of whom, due to my sins, I myself am not worthy to be called a son. We rejoice in his achievement of the eternal life prepared for him by the Lord. Not only do we rejoice, for whom he, as a holy member, serves as an excellent decoration, but the whole Church rejoices in him. Think about what kind of person you took him for? Is it not a confessor, a martyr, a saint? He courageously fought against sensual impulses, chastely preserving his body from lusts, and, while eating the simplest food, he subordinated the body to the rational soul. Saint James slept so little that to those who saw him it seemed surprising that he still remained healthy. For a long time, as much as time allowed him, he loved to ascend with his thoughts to God, and in this thought of God he deepened to the admiration of his mind. When he came to his senses, all this aroused Divine love in him. Let no one think that I am telling a lie for the sake of those listening - I have witnesses - God and the mentor of Saint James - John, who told me about him what I myself sometimes did not know. All this was a simple way to accustom oneself to a fasting life; as for how much time he spent in the exploits of confession, and how great these exploits were, this was in full view of both the Angels and people. O hard and dear heart! He accomplished his feat without fear, like God’s warrior. The tormentors' servants covered his entire skin with wounds, also wounded his shoulders and chest, drew blood, crushed his body and left him abandoned on the ground. He did not utter a single impatient sound, but to the end endured the torments pleasing to God in the name of His Son Christ our God; for to suffer for His holy icon means to suffer for Himself. Let the meek hear and rejoice, let the martyr-lovers rejoice, and let the devil be ashamed and let the horde of iconoclasts crumble! Because, besides this holy James, they tortured, killed, starved and inflicted other similar torments on many other confessors of Christ, both ours and not ours (more ours, since we represent one body in relation to Jesus Christ, Who is the head of all). Due to the fact that Saint James was weakened by all his limbs from these unbearable wounds, his body, engulfed by the most serious illnesses, was given over to medical care. Preparing for death every day, he ended his life with thanksgiving and humility. You write that he predicted his death - this was due to his suffering exploits. You also added that many people were present at his burial, including people of a very noble family - all this happened by the incomprehensible will of God, because such a multitude of people would not have flocked to a man who was not famous (but not in spirit) if it had not been the will of the Lord. Saint James went to heaven and joined his fellow sufferers; thus the number of confessors and martyrs increased; Therefore, heaven rejoices and rejoices in the soul of Jacob, through whose prayers we, brothers, will be saved. He received a gift worthy of his labors. Happy and truly pious are those who came together for his worthy burial; they are true martyr-lovers, whose fate may be the same as the fate of the one whom they honored. God willing, I will take care of his honest relics, as I wrote in the rules. Kiss each other with a holy kiss; Read this letter to all your brothers. You are kissed by Mr. Archbishop Patriarch Nicephorus, the protopresbyter, the icon and other brothers. May the Lord be with you. Amen". Here is a letter from Saint Theodore the Studite, from which one can see the life and suffering of this venerable confessor of Christ, James, whose prayers may the Lord honor us with the fate of His saints forever. Amen. Leo V the Armenian, Greek emperor, reigned from 813 to 820. Iconoclastic heresy or iconoclasm is a heresy of the 8th century, which consisted of non-recognition, disrespect and persecution of holy icons. The most zealous defenders of iconoclasm were the emperors Leo the Isaurian (717–741) and Constantine Copronymus (741–775). This heresy was condemned at the VII Ecumenical Council, which took place in 787. in the city of Nicaea under Patriarch Tarasius and Empress Irina. St. Theodore the Studite is the abbot of the Studite monastery in Constantinople. St. Theodore suffered a lot for the veneration of icons. After St. Theodore left many works, letters, canons and church stichera. In addition, St. Theodore made significant additions to the church charter, which, after the name of the Studite monastery, is called “Studio” (in contrast to the “Jerusalem”, compiled by St. Savva the Sanctified). You might be interested in: