By Fr. George Dorbarakis
The Holy Newly-Revealed Martyrs of the Lord whom we celebrate today, Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene, are not the only ones who were “discovered” through a vision that God permitted to devout believers. We have a multitude of other Saints whose tombs with their relics, their holy heads, or various icons were hidden and “by judgments known to the Lord” at some time came to light, in order to be honored by the Christ-named fullness of the Church. Let us mention as simple examples the head of the thrice-great John the Forerunner and Baptist (whose finding we celebrate even three times), or the countless icons of our Panagia, the Panagia Portaitissa, the Panagia Trypitē, and others. Therefore, among this multitude of Saints who were found with their relics are also included the Saints celebrated today. According to the blessed and now Venerable Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis, the poet of their Service, Christ “from the depths of the earth revealed” the Saints “for the strengthening of the faithful” (Vespers Sticheron). And He revealed them “through many visions and dreams” (Sticheron) of the Saints themselves, so that there would be no doubt whatsoever about the truth of their words.
And the observation of the Holy Hymnographer is important, because our Church, as a constant practice, stands with great caution toward visions, toward dreams, toward anything wondrous and revelatory that someone might say has happened to him, given that the evil devil also exists and acts, using such means in order to deceive people. However, when a vision or a dream, related to Saints, is repeated many times and indeed to many people, then the Church comes and, in the Spirit, discreetly confirms its truth — a truth which in later years is usually fully proclaimed by the many miracles that God allows to be performed by the Saints or by the sanctified icon that has been found. According to Venerable Gerasimos, “for reasons we do not know, the Saints were hidden in the earth for many years, but now they have become known, full of heavenly glory, full of light and the grace of God, working wondrous and extraordinary signs” (Doxastikon of Vespers). And he makes a remarkable observation: the revelation of the Holy Martyrs on the hill of Karyes on the island of Lesvos, as if the hill were “another Zion” (Praises), constitutes “a thunder of the glory of God which reveals through His word the mystery of His divine will.” For what purpose? “That the greatness of our pious faith may be proclaimed by words and miracles, so that Christ may be glorified and Christians may be strengthened and established in the faith” (Lity). (Indeed, in our Church the miracle functions in the way revealed by the Lord Himself: as a strengthening of people’s faith and not as a cause for them to believe. That is, it is an expression of His tenderness and love for human beings and not a coercion of their freedom, as it would be if He worked miracles in order that they might believe.)
And further, the ecclesiastical poet goes on, interpreting also the resurrectional time in which the martyrdom of the Saints took place: “The Saints were revealed after many years of concealment, as if coming forth from heavenly sanctuaries, demonstrating the good things of the Resurrection of the Lord” (Lity), and also “foretelling to all the divine glory of the future resurrection for all” (Ode 1).
The Holy Hymnographer Gerasimos, within this same resurrectional perspective (Bright Tuesday) of their martyrdom, proceeds by association also to the following connection (Doxastikon of the Aposticha of Vespers): “As imitators of the Passion of the Savior Christ, O holy martyrs, you show by your revelation also the radiance of His Resurrection. For just as He rose and appeared to the modest Myrrhbearing women, so also you entrusted the mystery of your vision to faithful women, proclaiming to them with boldness the revelation of hidden things.” And likewise in the Kathismata of Matins: “Pious women, like the Myrrhbearers before, were filled with wonder when they saw your appearance, God-minded Raphael and blessed Nicholas.”
The poet, of course, moves within the deep faith of the Church, for which whatever wondrous thing happens to one of its members can also happen to the others, when the proper conditions exist. He therefore urges us, as if it were the simplest thing, “to hasten also to the hill of Karyes, in order to see the ineffable glory of the Martyrs, where the Saints were revealed” (Ode 3). (For clearly the Saints are alive and, as members like us of the same Body of Christ, can appear to all.) But with one condition: that one has the senses of both soul and body purified. “Let us purify our senses and behold the most divine countenance of the God-bearing Raphael, and together with him Nicholas and Irene. For they are revealed to the faithful, working wondrous things” (Ode 1) — the poet, closely following the ecclesiastical hymnographer of the Canon of the Holy Resurrection of the Lord, emphasizes what is commonly known in the spiritual life of the Church: without purification of the heart, one cannot perceive anything of the absolutely holy and pure God. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Let it be permitted to note briefly two more things from the Service. The first: the Saints struggled in the martyrdom of faith in Christ with one soul — their connection with the Lord, because of their intense and “unbreakable” love for Him (Ode 6), bound them spiritually also to one another. For this is the principal characteristic of all the saints: the unity of Christ and human beings, according to the “that they all may be one” of the Lord’s vision for all humanity; without this unity, even martyrdom for Christ can function in a negative way. “These, therefore, having struggled with one soul, endured for Christ the contests of sufferings, and for this reason were worthily glorified in the heavens” (Doxastikon of Vespers). The second: this unity of theirs, with the Lord and among themselves, was guided and forged by their Elder, the Hieromonk Raphael. Saint Raphael was the “trainer and anointer,” their coach in a sense, who led them “to divine achievements” and gave wings to their mindset, not so much by his words as by his example. It is example that speaks to the heart and draws a person to the path of Christ. In the very words of the Holy Hymnographer in the most beautiful troparion of the Lity in the fourth tone: “As a herald of virtue and a trainer and instructor, most sacred Raphael, by your own example you gave wings for divine achievements to the mindset of your fellow-martyrs, so that they might die for the sake of Christ. For the venerable deacon Nicholas (your disciple and fellow-ascetic) struggled in the arena of martyrdom, and the beautiful maiden Irene, like fragrant incense, was led to Christ, being given over to the fire for His sake. Therefore, as their leader and head, you were magnificently glorified and have now revealed to the world your own glory.”
Such grace and glory as the Saints have — grace and glory of love — it is certain that they pour out upon everyone who approaches them with faith and reverence. And this means “receiving strength both in soul and in body” (Ode 4), especially for those who are “grievously ill.” For it is true: “the sacred Raphael is a wise physician for all, as indeed has been shown, offering healings and cures” (Ode 8).
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
