Память во святых отца нашего Фомы, патриарха Константинопольского

Our Holy Father Thomas, for his many virtues, intelligence and piety, was made a deacon of the Great Constantinople Church by the Venerable John the Faster, and during the reign of Mauritius 2066 he was made a sacellar 2067. After the death of Most Holy John and the Patriarch who replaced him, Blessed Cyriacus 2068, during the reign of the tormentor Phocas 2069, Saint Thomas 2070 was installed as Patriarch and ruled his throne perfectly, carefully shepherding the verbal flock of Christ. During the days of his patriarchate, the following miracle took place in the country of Galatia 2071. There, in some cities, during religious processions and litias, large crosses were worn; these crosses of their own accord, with wondrous and uncontrollable force, began to oscillate, hit each other and broke. When the rumor about this miracle spread everywhere, the Most Holy Patriarch Thomas of Constantinople called from that country Saint Theodore Sikeot, a man of vision and wonderworker, and asked him about this miracle and what this miracle would portend. Saint Theodore said that the miracle really happened, but he refused to say what it meant, saying that he did not know this unknown secret. Then His Holiness Patriarch Thomas fell at his feet with a request, and with such humility he convinced the elder to predict the future. After that, the elder said that the crosses themselves shook, fought and broke as a sign of many troubles and devastation on the Church of God and the Greek kingdom, both from external and internal enemies: from the outside there will be a heavy invasion of barbarians, and inside the state there will be a split in the faith between Christians, and they will begin to persecute and exterminate each other, and all this will happen soon. Hearing this, the patriarch was horrified and asked the monk to pray to God for him, so that God would take his soul from his body before the predicted ruin happened, so that he would not see such troubles on the Church. A short time later, when the Monk Theodore was still remaining in Constantinople near the Church of St. Stephen, the patriarch fell ill and sent the monk, who had shut himself up in a cell and fasting, to notify him of his illness, and to beg him to ask God for a speedy death. The saint refused, did not want to, and Patriarch Blessed Thomas again sent him with an earnest request, wanting to be separated from his body before troubles came to the Church. Then the Monk Theodore, against his will, fulfilled the will of His Holiness Patriarch Thomas, prayed to God for his death and sent him to say: “Will you tell me to come to you or will we see each other there before God?” Saint Thomas answered him through the messenger: “Do not interrupt your silence, father, what you said is enough for me: “I will see you there before God.” And on the same day, before evening, His Holiness Patriarch Thomas joyfully separated from his body and went to the Lord during the reign of the same Phocas. After the death of Saint Thomas, Patriarchal Sergius, a deacon of the same great church, accepted the throne, and was at first orthodox, and then became corrupted and became the leader of the monothelitic heresy, in other words, the one-willed heresy, which unjustly recognizes one will in the Lord Christ 2072; then troubles came for the Church: schism, ruin, torment and persecution from heretics against the faithful; at the same time, with God's permission for the multiplication of heresies, a difficult war with the Persians began, captivity and devastation of the Greek regions by fire and sword; Jerusalem was taken by the Persians, and the Precious Tree of the Holy Cross was captured and taken to Persia; This is how all the misfortunes foreshadowed by the above-mentioned miracle with the crosses and predicted by the prophecy of St. Theodore Sikeot came true; in order not to see these misfortunes with his own eyes, His Holiness Patriarch Thomas chose to die rather than remain alive, and, at his request, received a blessed death before the onset of this terrible time. He shepherded the Church of Christ for three years and two months, fought a lot against heretics, preserving the Orthodox teaching and truly honoring Christ our God; to Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen. Mauritius, Byzantine emperor, reigned from 582 to 602. Sacellarium – cathedral keeper of utensils, sacristan. Cyriacus was patriarch from 595 to 606 Emperor Phocas reigned from 602 to 610. St. Thomas was patriarch from 607 to 610. Galatia is a region of Asia Minor. Monothelites recognized in Jesus Christ only one will - divine. This heresy was condemned at the VI Ecumenical Council, which took place in 680 in Constantinople. You might be interested in: