Prologue in Sermons: January 22

On Love for God

January 22

(Commemoration of the Venerable Martyr Anastasios the Persian)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Strong, fervent, and wondrous was the love for God among the true servants of God. Thus the Apostle Paul desires to depart and be with Christ. The Venerable Martyr Anastasios the Persian, having passed through every path that leads to virtue, was finally inflamed with such love for God that he asked Him to help him end his life in blood and in sufferings. And of all the saints one may say, as if in their own words: "Who shall separate us from the love of God: tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all the day long" (Rom. 8:35–36).

Such was the love for God among God’s saints, and by it they left us a beautiful example for imitation. For we too must love God as they did. We too must strive toward Him with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. Therefore we must all learn from the saints how we ought to love God and in what true love for Him consists.

In what, then, should it consist?

Saint Anastasios the Persian Resource Page

St. Anastasios the Persian (Feast Day - January 22)

Verses

Anastasios is strangled by the throat,

The cord becoming beautified with brilliance.

On the twenty-second Anastasios underwent strangling.

 

Holy Martyr Anastasios the Persian (+ 628)

 

The Veneration of Saint Anastasios the Persian in Zakynthos

 

Church of Saint Anastasios the Persian on the Panagiotopoulos Estate of Salamis

 

Papa-Fotis from Mytilene and Saint Anastasios the Persian

 

Saint Bessarion of Agathonos Revered Saint Anastasios the Persian 

 

 

Saint Bessarion of Agathonos Revered Saint Anastasios the Persian

Saint Bessarion of Agathonos had great reverence for Saint Anastasios the Persian, and was even found worthy to depart this life on his feast day, January 22nd, making it now the feast day to commemorate both of them on the same day.

Often times Saint Bessarion would encounter Greeks who were named Anastasios, and on the feast of Saint Anastasios the Persian he would wish them many years for their name day. However they would tell him that they celebrate their name day on Pascha, since they were named after the Resurrection (Anastasi). To this, the Elder would reply: "You should celebrate on Saint Anastasios the Persian, because on Pascha we all celebrate."

I would think this would be similar advice for those women named Anastasia, to not celebrate on Pascha but perhaps either on Saint Anastasia the Roman (October 29) or Saint Anastasia the Pharmakolytria (December 22).

Papa-Fotis from Mytilene and Saint Anastasios the Persian

 

Some afternoons we went to his [Papa-Fotis Lavriotis from Mytilene] Hesychasterion, in Pamfila, before sunset and then we took him by car to the city, and on the way he would do Vespers, and would say the troparia.

One day I realized that he sees Saints and I thought of doing an experiment. I secretly said to myself that I will invoke a Saint, and I will see his reaction.

I began to say: "SAINT ANASTASIOS THE PERSIAN, INTERCEDE FOR US." I said it mentally three times and Father Photios turns to the car window and says:

"Who are you?"

But there was no one, not even a person passing by, since we were on the move, nor could I see anything. Then he turns and says to me:

"You summoned him?"

I said, "Yes!"

He then laughed at my experiment.

Then he said to me: "Silence, okay?"

"May it be blessed, Elder" I said.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.