Память святого отца нашего Космы Исповедника, епископа Халкидонского, и преподобного Авксентия

The saint and confessor of Christ Cosmas came from the city of Constantinople 2636. Having loved Christ from a young age, he left this vain world and became a monk. Leading a strictly ascetic life and achieving perfection in many virtues, Saint Cosmas became the abode of the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, Saint Cosmas was appointed bishop of the city of Chalcedon in 2637. In the rank of bishop, he zealously defended the Orthodox teaching, which was persecuted at that time by heretical iconoclasts. Iconoclast heretics repeatedly forced the saint not to venerate holy icons. But he courageously defended Orthodox teaching and did not submit to heretics. For his firmness in Orthodoxy, the saint endured much torment from persecutors and was exiled to prison. Summoned from prison and again forced to disrespect icons, Saint Cosmas again showed firmness in Orthodoxy. For this he was again subjected to numerous torments and sorrows, which the Monk Auxentius shared with him 2638. It was amid these sorrows that Saint Cosmas met his blessed death in 2639. Constantinople is a famous city in ancient times - the capital of the Byzantine Empire, now Istanbul in Turkey. Constantinople is located on the shores of the Bosphorus, a strait of the Mediterranean Sea, and was famous in ancient times for its education and trade. Chalcedon or, more correctly, Kalcedon - originally a Megarian colony on the shores of the Propontis (Sea of ​​Marmara) at the entrance to the Bosporus Strait, founded 2 or 3 centuries BC - then one of the main cities of Bithynia - the Asia Minor region. In the history of the Christian church, Chalcedon is remarkable as the site of the IV Ecumenical Council, convened in 451, under the emperor Marian, to denounce the Monophysite heresy (which recognized in Jesus Christ only one nature - divine). – Currently, on the site of ancient Chalcedon there is a small Turkish village of Kodikioi. His memory is celebrated on the same day. The Auxentius mentioned here should not be identified with the Monk Auxentius, whose memory is celebrated on February 14, asceticised on Mount Oxia near Chalcedon and was present at the IV Ecumenical Council. He died approx. 470 g The death of Saint Cosmas followed at the beginning of the 9th century. (c. 816) under the iconoclast emperor Leo (Vth) the Armenian (who reigned from 813 to 820). You might be interested in: