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The grandson of blessed Melania, who spent the last half of her life in the monasteries of the East, belonged to the richest and very ancient noble family 381. Blessed Melania, even as a child, expressed a desire to devote herself to serving God. This desire did not weaken in her over the years, despite the life of a luxurious aristocratic house. When she was 13 years old, she was almost forcibly united in marriage with Pinian, the son of the prefect of Italy and Africa. The love for spiritual and physical purity was so strong in her that at the very first time of her marriage she begged her husband to dismiss her from marital cohabitation. The young husband promised to give her this permission when she gave birth to his son. The first fruit of the marriage was a daughter 382. Melania made a vow to dedicate her daughter to the Lord. She again made her previous request to her husband, offering to transfer to him her entire fortune, which was enormous, in exchange for fulfilling her desire; but he did not agree. Then she decided to patiently wait for the will of God, but together she decided to live alone and strictly, as much as possible in her high rank. She fervently asked the Lord to hear the desire of her heart; Her prayer for this was especially fervent on St. Lawrence. Her prayer was heard. During her second birth, Melania was in mortal danger. Her husband, who loved her very much, was extremely frightened. He rushed to the church to pray to God for his wife’s life. Melania sent to tell him that if he promises to fulfill her request, her heart assures her that she will remain alive. The husband made a vow without hesitating for a moment. Melania felt relief and gave birth to a son. The son died soon after baptism, then the daughter died. These losses were bitter for Pinian, but they strengthened Pinian's determination to follow the desires of his pious wife. Pinian and Melania began to live according to the rules of the Gospel and weakened their ties with the gay world. Thus, notes Palladius, the words of the Apostle were fulfilled: what weighs a woman if you save her husband? (1 Cor. 7:16) 383. This event - the change with Pinian - dates back to the month of August 401; then seven years of their marriage had passed; Pinian was then 24 years old, and Melania was 20 years old. Pinian had not yet completely given up social pomp, but Melania was carefully reworking his heart. The pious grandmother Melania, having learned about the good change in the life of her granddaughter and her husband, despite her sixty years, arrived from the East to Rome. Her family and relatives met her in Naples; From here she went to Nola to St. Peacock, who was her relative. Having taught everyone in Rome the advice to value pure faith and beware of heresy, she went to Africa along her estates. Returning again to Rome, she persistently advised her grandchildren to sell their real estate and part with the noisy capital. Everyone respected Melania the Elder. Her daughter Albina, the mother of the youngest Melania, decided to live for the Lord, like her daughter; the patrician Avkhozia, under the influence of Melania, convinced her husband and pagan to accept Christianity; Asterius, her son, and daughter Eucopia devoted themselves to a solitary life. There was a strong movement in Rome in favor of Christian piety. According to the instructions of the pious grandmother, Melania and Pinian changed their lives even more; it was decided to sell the estates in parts. Melania gave up all her outfits; gave her expensive dresses to churches 384. At first she began to fast for four days in a row, but then, moderating her jealousy, she ate food every other day. Together with her husband, she visited hospitals, ransomed those held for debts, received strangers and little by little sold her estates. Pinian's brother, Severus, watched how secular people looked at the deeds of mercy of the spouses; This is harmful extravagance, he said. Without thinking twice, he grabbed what he could from his brother’s estates; “It is necessary to save, he said, not wisely squandered wealth.” Pinian and Melania patiently endured his violence and remained silent. But Empress Verina, who deeply respected Melania’s virtues, having learned about everything, asked her to come to her. The husband and wife came to the palace in simple clothes. Their humility not only did not humiliate them, but elevated them in the eyes of the empress. She told Melania that she knew all the unjust actions of the North, and that he would be severely punished for them. Then the offended turned to intercession for the offender and asked for one thing - to return their property to them, and not for them, but for the poor. The Empress, touched by their kindness, asked Emperor Honorius for the full right to sell property and land, without any obstacle from anyone. This will of the emperor turned out to be doubly useful. Buyers, seeing that they could safely buy the estates of the spouses, raised the price of the estates, and the sale proceeded quickly and successfully. The husband and wife had lands not only near Rome, but also in the whole of Italy and Aquitaine, in Sicily and Spain, in Gaul and England, in Terracina and Africa. Melania first sold distant lands - in Spain, Gaul and England. She kept the others until her father’s death gave her the freedom to go with her husband to the East. The spouses used the income from the estates of the remaining ones, as well as the money from the sold estates, for deeds pleasing to God. The poor churches, monasteries, and departments of the West received rich offerings from them. Blessed Melania entrusted the Dalmatian hieromonk Paul with large sums for distribution in the East: 10,000 gold coins were given to the monasteries of Egypt and Thebaid; the same amount for the churches on the islands and for the exiles; 15,000 – for Palestine. She herself gave away four times more. All slaves were given freedom 385. The north never ceased to disturb the good spouses. But the Lord did not leave them without His help. The instructions of the grandmother and St. Peacock reinforced them a lot. Palladius, Bishop of Elenopolis, who was in Rome (in 406) on the case of St. John Chrysostom was received by Melania and her husband with complete love. “When we were in Rome in large numbers,” he says, for the blessed Bishop John: they received us with great honor, lodged us in a hotel, and provided us with a rich travel supply. In this way they gain participation in the eternal life of our Lord Jesus Christ and in a better way of life.” In 407, Melania's father died. Melania then left the noisy capital and settled on her estate to live in solitude. From here the couple went to Campania to visit St. Pavlina. Melania gathered together several pious virgins and prayed and labored with them. Pinian also lived with 30 hermits. The siege of Rome by Alaric (in 408, 409 and 410) proved how wise the advice given by the pious grandmother to her grandchildren about the sale of estates was. The Goths would have plundered their estates; and having carried out the advice, they transferred the rich price of the estates through the hands of the poor to heaven. Pinian and Melania retired to Sicily, where they sold their remaining property, then moved to Africa 386. In Tagaste there was Bishop Alypius, a friend of the blessed one. Augustine; conversations with the good shepherd were pleasant for Melania and Pinian. Here they hoped to see the great teacher Augustine; but from his letter they learned that, with all his desire, there was no way he could be in Tagaste 387. Pinian and Melania went to Hippo, leaving Albina in Tagaste. The spiritual joy of the date of all 5 friends was outraged by the special occasion. The people of Hippo, who had known Pinian for a long time, announced that they were electing Pinian to the presbyterate and, moreover, so that he would undertake not to be separated from them. No matter how much Augustine, Alypius and Pinian tried to ensure that the people did not bind Pinian’s freedom, they had to give in to his insistence, however, subsequently, the people, grateful to Pinian, freed him from this word 388. The charitable Pinian and Melania also lavished their charity in Africa. In Tagaste they donated lands for the see of Alypius and for his church metals and expensive stones; a large sum of money was given for the benefit of the poor; Dissatisfied with this, they built two monasteries, a male one for 24 monks and a female one for 130 nuns, ensuring their existence with capital. They lived in Africa for seven years, until their local estates were sold. Melania lived in her new monastery, under the direction of the abbess. In Rome she ate food every other day; in Tagaste, moving forward in spiritual life, she first ate once every three days, then once every 5 days, and finally only once a week. Her cell was so small that she could barely stand up and turn around; She slept on matting - and only 2 hours a day, but devoted most of her time to prayer and reading Scripture. This is how the richest aristocrat in Rome now lived. She turned many young people to the path of goodness and attracted several pagans and Jews to the faith of Christ. In 419, Melania and her mother went to the East. She saw St. in Alexandria. Kirill and, upon arrival in Jerusalem, fell ill. Having recovered, she hastened to bow to St. places. Having received money in Jerusalem for the sold estates, she distributed them to the poor, and she herself remained poor out of love for the poverty of Christ. The famous Pelagius became close to Melania. She insistently demanded that he abandon his delusions; the cunning Pelagius verbally refused obvious mistakes, but with subtle reasoning he wanted to shield himself from shame. Melania conveyed her conversations with him to Augustine, and he sent Melania and Albina two of his books: “On the Grace of Jesus Christ” and “On Original Sin.” Having visited the Egyptian hermits, Melania locked herself in the Olivet cell for feats of prayer; She only allowed her mother and cousin here. The latter loved an absent-minded social life, but Melania’s admonitions brought her to the point that she fell in love with a solitary life. Melania spent 14 years in her cell. At the urgent request of some virgins and wives, she built a monastery for them. The death of the mother was followed (in 435) by the death of her husband, or, more precisely, brother, the pious Pinian, who lived in recent years in the Jerusalem monastery 389. Melania, convinced that she would not long outlive the people dear to her, increased the severity of her life. But she still had a feat ahead of her. Her uncle Volusian, despite the requests of his sister and the admonitions of Augustine, still remained a pagan. Now he was in Constantinople on special orders from the Western Emperor and strongly wanted to see his niece. The bright hope of leading him out of darkness into the light of Christ alone could force Melania, already weak, to set off on her journey. She left Jerusalem. In Chalcedon she was consoled by a miracle. When she stood here near the shrine of St. Euphemia, immersed in prayer, a heavenly aroma overshadowed her and all doubt about the success of her good intentions disappeared. In Constantinople she stayed in the palace of Lavza, the famous prefect, for whom Paladius Lavsaik 390 was written. Her uncle was very sick. The poor and humble appearance of the former aristocrat of Rome amazed Volusian. The Christian woman explained to the pagan that Christians strive for higher blessings than earthly ones, for eternal blessings, before which everything earthly is dust and insignificance. This explanation, justified by a living example, had an effect on Volusian. Soon Volusianus felt a seizure that threatened death, and he himself demanded to be sanctified by baptism. He wanted Melania to be his adoptive mother from the baptismal font, but severe pain in her leg had not allowed her to leave the house for about 7 days. Having learned about her uncle’s extreme situation, she, despite the suffering, asked to be carried to Volusian. On the road they inform her that Volusianus is being baptized by St. Proclus, Archbishop. Melania's joy over this event was so great that her pain suddenly stopped, and she herself walked the rest of the road; with her, her uncle partook of the body and blood of Christ. Melania's stay in Constantinople was beneficial for many. She convinced Empress Eudokia to visit St. places. Emperor Theodosius also listened to her conversation with benefit. Many of those who were carried away by the heresy of Nestorius were kept on the side of Orthodoxy by the advice of Melania. Upon returning to Jerusalem, Melania built a chapel and with it founded another monastery, connected to the first under the command of one abbot. Empress Eudokia arrived in Jerusalem (438) and experienced for herself that grace dwells in Melania. The Empress sprained her leg and suffered greatly, but as soon as Melania touched her leg, all the pain stopped. Feeling the approach of her death, the saint once again walked around the holy places of the holy land; spent Christmas Day in Bethlehem; Upon returning to Jerusalem, I felt a chill and received Holy Communion. Tain and on December 31 (439) she peacefully surrendered her spirit to God, in the 57th year of her life 391. “Having loved the purity of virginity, you inclined your partner to goodness, squandered a lot of wealth, and built monasteries for monastics. That is why she moved into the heavenly abode. Remember us, all-honorable Melania.” Cond. St. Rev. Zotika the Orphan Feeder Orphan feeding is the most sacred virtue. The Lord says through Moses: do not embitter all widows and orphans: if I embitter you with malice, and they cry out to Me, I will hear their voice with my hearing (Ex. 22:22). Be orphan like a father, and be like a son of the Most High (Sir.4:10-11). For this faith is pure and undefiled before God and the Father, to visit the orphans and widows in their sorrows, and to keep itself undefiled from the world (James 1:27). Since ancient times, Christians have cared a lot about orphans. The saints, who became famous for their charity of orphans, made it their special duty to look after orphans and widows, the poor and sick, and those without their own means of food, and to help them. To the face of these saints. Among the benefactors of humanity is the venerable 4th-century venerable Zotik the Orphan-Feeder, who, being personally known to Constantine the Great, came from Rome to Constantinople and, rejecting worldly honor and vanity, accepted the presbytery and served the lesser brethren of Christ. As Abraham his tent, so St. Zotik opened his house to receive and feed the poor; He accepted the bloodless, wanderers and the sick into his host; was a true father for widows, the weak and the orphaned; he cared especially about lepers. They write that these unfortunates were determined to be thrown into the sea, but the merciful Zotik redeemed them with his gold, set up hospitals for them outside Constantinople, and served them - rejected by everyone. The Lord gave him the grace to heal the sick, and he healed them with his prayers. So generous and loving for others, the monk was strict for himself. By fasting and abstinence he conquered his passions, avoided all the delights of the world, and became like the Angels in life. Emperor Constantius, infected with Arianism, did not like St. Zotik for his piety. Having learned that the gold given to St. Constantine the Great was all spent on the poor, sick and lepers, he ordered it to be tied to wild mules and driven into the field. Thus, the merciful nourisher of the poor and sick was given over to the most cruel death for his love of humanity for the sake of Christ. Life of St. Melania according to Metaphrastus - in Chetye-Minea on December 31st. The Greek description of the life of Melanin, written by a contemporary, is known, more correct than the Metaphrasto (Fabritii bibl. Gr. X, 292), but unfortunately, not published. In Prologue December. 31, extract from manuscript. Palladium's message (Lavzaika, ch. 69) in the combined Patericon under the banner. M. zn. 20. It is noted here that the news is taken from the Egyptian Patericon. Palladium in Lavzaik (Russian translation 1850, p. 271) says that Melania had two sons. But Jerome and Augustine, who knew everything related to Melania closely, show something else. Palladium in Lawzaic, p. 272. Palladium, ch. 119: she donated all her silk half-robes (τα σηριϰαννημιφορια ϰαλυμματα) to the altars. Palladium in Lawzaic, ch. 119; Heraclides, ch. 49. According to Palladius (in Lavzaik) it is clear that he did not know about Melania’s long life in Africa, he leads her from Rome straight to Jerusalem. Augustini, Ep. 224. Hieronymi, ep. 79. Palladium in Lawzaic, ch. 121 (107): And Piinian, once the husband of the younger Melania, and now, by the will of Christ, her unanimous companion in virtue, labors together with thirty monks, reads the Holy Scriptures, is engaged in cultivating the garden and talking.” Codin: “the house of Loves, patrician and prefect, who, under Arcadia, the son of Theodosius the Great, occupied the highest government positions and was decorated with honors; he built this house and decorated it with marble and costly columns,” ed. Beckerei 1843. b. 38. Theophanes' Chronicle under 426: “Blessed Melania, the granddaughter of the great Melania, fell asleep in Jerusalem, in hard work and perfection of life.” The time of death is shown incorrectly. According to the Roman Martyrology, December 31. Death of “Saint Melania the Younger: leaving Rome with her husband Penia and coming to Jerusalem, both died a holy death.”