February: Day 15: Holy Apostle Onesimus

February: Day 15:
Holy Apostle Onesimus
 
(On the Attitude of Masters to Servants)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. In Asia Minor, in the region of Phrygia, there lived a rich and dignified man named Philemon. Having heard the preaching of the apostles, he converted to Christianity, and then he himself was numbered among the seventy apostles. He had a slave Onesimus, later the Holy Apostle Onesimus, one of the seventy, whose memory is celebrated today. Having committed some offense against his master and fearing punishment, he fled to Rome, where at that time the Apostle Paul was preaching the gospel. Onesimus followed him; he received baptism from him and did not abandon the Apostle even in his imprisonment. The Apostle Paul came to love his new follower very much, “our faithful and beloved brother,” as he calls him in his epistle to the Colossians. At the same time he wrote an epistle to Philemon, Onesimus’s master, and asked him to forgive the latter. “I beseech you,” he wrote to Philemon, “for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains... I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart." This is how the Apostle spoke about Onesimus. Philemon not only forgave Onesimus, but also set him free. Then Onesimus began to serve the Apostle Paul with even greater zeal and after his death he himself began to preach the gospel in Spain, Greece, Asia Minor and, already in his old age, was appointed Bishop of Ephesus after Timothy and John the Theologian.

An Orthodox Christian Evaluation of Saint Valentine's Day

By Protodeacon Andrey Kuraev

For ten years now, in mid-February, a special topic has appeared in ecclesiastical periodicals and parish sermons: the topic is that of a warning against celebrating "Saint Valentine's Day." They say it's not our holiday...

It's strange: the holiday itself is not called "Stakhanovite Day" or "Forestry and Timber Industry Worker's Day." It has an ecclesiastical name and reminds us of a Christian saint - and yet the Church calls not to celebrate him?

Let's first look at the formal reason for the holiday. The reason that is reflected in its name.

Was there really such a saint?

Yes, Saint Valentine lived in the Italian city of Terni in the 3rd century and was executed on February 14, 270.

February: Day 14: Venerable Maron

 

February: Day 14:
Venerable Maron
 
(The Custom of Resorting in Certain Cases To Prayer To Certain Saints Has a Legitimate Basis)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Maron, a Syrian hermit, whose memory is celebrated today, labored near the city of Cyrus, which was a two day journey from Antioch. He chose the summit of a mountain, revered in ancient times by the pagans, as the place for his exploits. Having made this place of idol sacrifices a place of service to God, he labored in a small hut, which, however, he rarely visited, almost always remaining in the open air. To mortify the flesh, he undertook heavy physical labors. God sent him the gift of healing various ailments and diseases, not only physical, but also spiritual, through prayer and blessing. He healed those sick with fever, the frenzied, and those possessed by demons. He healed souls from the ailments of covetousness, anger, intemperance, and carelessness, and inspired humility in the proud and justice in the unjust. After a short illness, he peacefully departed to eternal life, around the year 370. The inhabitants of a nearby village took his holy relics and placed them in their church, as a blessing to their village.

The Sacred Couple Aquila and Priscilla: The Protectors of Loving Spouses

By Lambros Skontzos

On February 13, our Church celebrates the holy memory of two important saints of the apostolic era, Aquila and Priscilla. These two sacred spouses constitute for our Orthodox Church the true version of what the commercialized “Saint Valentine” is said to offer on February 14. The late Archbishop Christodoulos had proposed to replace Valentine's Day as a “festival of lovers” brought from the cacodox “Christian” West with the feast of Saints Aquila and Priscilla.

This sacred couple is mentioned many times in the epistles of the Apostle Paul, who contributed greatly to the missionary work of the Apostle to the Gentiles. They were of Jewish origin and initially lived in Rome. They practiced the profession of tentmaker, manufacturing special fabrics for tents. However, in 49 AD Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) expelled the Jews from Rome on the grounds that they were arguing about a certain “Christ.” This testimony, which is important for the early Church, clearly shows the persecution that the Jews had proclaimed against the Christians. It also seems that Aquila and Priscilla had heard about the new faith, which they liked. From Rome they found themselves in Corinth, the great multinational city of Achaia, which rivaled Rome in moral corruption, practicing the lucrative profession of tentmaker.

February: Day 13: Venerable Martinian of Caesarea

February: Day 13:
Venerable Martinian of Caesarea
 
(On the Means of Combating Temptation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Martinian, whose memory is celebrated today, was a hermit, who lived ascetically first in the vicinity of Caesarea in Palestine, and then on a rocky island. He died in Athens at the beginning of the 4th century; his relics were transferred to Antioch.

One harlot, who tempted the righteous man, was converted by him to a virtuous life and, under the name of Zoe, spent 12 years in severe asceticism in a Bethlehem monastery.

This is how it happened.

Having taken off her luxurious clothes and put on a torn rag instead, this woman, on a stormy, rainy night, penetrated into the hermit's solitude and, approaching his deserted cell, with feigned crying and a frightened voice asked him to shelter her from the bad weather and not to give her over to the beasts as a sacrifice.

On the Matter of the Publican and the Pharisee (St. Andrew of Crete)

On the Matter of the Publican and the Pharisee

By St. Andrew of Crete

The content of the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14) constitutes something like training and preparation for those who want to approach sacred humility, which is contained in all the virtues upon which the Kingdom of Heaven is truly based, and to abstain from God-hating arrogance, which prevents man from every Christ-loving virtue. Who, then, would not desire to imitate the Publican and his return and repentance and would not turn away from the arrogance of the Pharisee, since humility is associated with Christ, and arrogance with the proud demon?

Arrogance is undoubtedly what made the first of the angels, who was also called Lucifer, a devil. It expelled the forefather Adam from Paradise. “He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble.” “The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” It condemns Pharaoh: “The fool said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” It brought down Nebuchadnezzar, because “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve;” and “you shall make no graven image.” And if the disease is weakened, the habit becomes the passion. Truly, pride is a fever that numbs the sensitivity of the sick person, a terrible disease of the soul that provokes a person to fall; it is dropsy, full of fluid and air.

February: Day 12: Teaching 2: Saint Meletios, Archbishop of Antioch

February: Day 12: Teaching 2:
Saint Meletios, Archbishop of Antioch
 
(Stand Firm in the Faith!)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. In the fourth century, strife and various heresies disturbed the peace of the Church. In particular, the heresy of Arius, who denied the consubstantiality of the Son of God with God the Father, spread. Rejected and condemned by the Ecumenical Synod of Nicaea, this heresy nevertheless found many followers. The Greek Emperor Constantius, one of the sons of Constantine the Great, was inclined toward Arianism and persecuted bishops who disagreed with him. Everywhere, enmity, revenge, and often bloody strife replaced the love and peace bequeathed by Jesus Christ.

February: Day 12: Teaching 1: Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow

February: Day 12: Teaching 1:
Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow
 
(Lessons From His Life)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, now being glorified, was miraculously called to the high calling of his pastoral service from his youth and, as a chosen vessel of grace, was prepared for his great calling by a long, strictly ascetic life. He was born in Moscow in 1293 of noble parents, Theodore and Maria, and was named Eleutherios at baptism. One day, the youth Eleutherios set nets in a field to catch birds; while watching them, he dozed off and heard a voice: "Alexis! Why do you labor in vain? You will be a catcher of men!" By the action of preceding grace, which touched his young heart, Eleutherios immediately felt the power of this calling. Finally, in the twentieth year of his life, he entered the Moscow Theophany Monastery and received the name that was predestined for him in childhood: Alexis. After strict ascetic seclusion, which lasted 20 years, Saint Alexis was called by the Metropolitan to manage ecclesiastical affairs with the rank of deputy Metropolitan, and 12 years later he was elected Bishop of Vladimir.

February: Day 11: Teaching 2: Venerable Demetrius of Priluki

February: Day 11: Teaching 2:
Venerable Demetrius of Priluki
 
(What Does Christian Humility Consist Of?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Demetrius of Priluki, whose memory is celebrated today, was born at the beginning of the 14th century in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky to rich and pious parents from the merchant class. He was taught to read and write early and, even as a youth, he loved reading the Holy Scriptures and soul-saving books. This pious occupation inclined him towards the monastic life. He left his parents' home and wealth and joined the brethren of the Pereyaslavl Bogorodsky Goritsky Monastery. Here he zealously devoted himself to monastic exploits - he fasted strictly, prayed fervently and was distinguished by such humility and purity that he hid from others not only his exploits, but even the external beauty of his face, for which he was distinguished. For the strictness of his life, he was elevated to the rank of priest. Soon after, he left the Goritsky Monastery, and, with the blessing of the bishop, founded a new monastery near Pereyaslavl, with a church dedicated to the name of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker of Myra. The new monastery was soon filled with monks, who were attracted here by the glory of the virtues of its founder, Saint Demetrius. Sixty miles from the new monastery of Saint Demetrius, the great Sergius was struggling in the forests of Radonezh. The holy ascetics knew and deeply respected each other. Saint Demetrius often came to Saint Sergius to see him and enjoy his conversation. Both experienced in asceticism, they humbly asked each other for advice on monastic life. They prayed together and shared a meager meal together.