With the light of purity of life you burned the passionate thorns/ and with the flow of tears you watered the barren land,/ making the spiritual field abundantly fruitful,/ Blessed Athanasius,/ shone for Constantinople, fertilized by the Patriarch,/ pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Saint Athanasius I, Patriarch of Constantinople (1289-1293; 1303-1311), known as Alexius, was from Adrianople. Even in his youth, having succeeded in learning the wisdom of Christ, he left home and went to Thessalonica, where in one of the monasteries he took monastic vows with the name Akakios. From there he soon retired to Holy Mount Athos and joined the brotherhood of the Esphigmena monastery, where he served as a refector for three years. In his labors and exploits he acquired the gift of tears, and with his virtues he gained the universal favor of the brethren. Fearing praise, the humble Akaki left Athos, first to the shrines of Jerusalem, and then to Mount Patria, where he labored as a hermit for a long time. From there the ascetic moved to Auxentia, and then to Mount Galantia to the monastery of blessed Lazarus, where he received a great angelic image with the name Athanasius, received holy orders and became ecclesiarch. Here the saint was rewarded with Divine revelation: from the crucifixion he heard the voice of the Lord, calling him to pastoral service.
Ten years later, wanting to further strengthen his spirit in silence and prayer, Saint Athanasius again settled on Mount Athos. However, due to the disturbances that arose there, he returned to Mount Galantia. But even here he did not have to remain in solitude for long. Many people flocked to him for pastoral guidance. So a convent was formed on this site. At that time, the cathedra of the Church of Constantinople was empty after the upheavals and unrest of the times of Patriarch John Vekkos. At the suggestion of the pious Emperor Andronikos Palaiologos, the Council of Bishops and Clergy in 1289 unanimously elected Saint Athanasius to the see of the Universal Church.
Patriarch Athanasius began to fulfill his new obedience with zeal and did a lot to strengthen the Church. The severity of his denunciations aroused the discontent of the influential clergy, and in 1293 he was forced to leave the department and retired again to his monastery, where he labored in solitude. In 1303, he was again given the baton of patriarchal service, which he carried with dignity for another 7 years. In 1308, Saint Athanasius installed Saint Peter, Primate of the Russian Church, as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Rus' (December 21). And again, because of the onset of discontent, not wanting to be the cause of church unrest, Saint Athanasius in 1311 left the management of the Church and went to his monastery, completely devoting himself to monastic exploits. Towards the end of his life, the saint was again honored to see Christ: the Lord reproached him that Athanasius had not fully fulfilled his pastoral duty. Shedding tears, the saint repented of his cowardice and received from the Lord forgiveness and the gift of miracles. Saint Athanasius reposed at the age of 100.
26 Prmch. Joasaph of Athonite, disciple of St. Niphon II of Constantinople († 1516, commemorated October 26)
Monk of the Dionysian Monastery on Holy Mount Athos, disciple of St. Niphon of Constantinople. He accepted martyrdom on October 26, 1516 in Constantinople. The Turks brutally tortured him and then beheaded him.
28 St. Arseny I of Serbia, Archbishop. Serbian († 1266, commemorated October 28)