OrthodoxWiki - User contributions [en]

Hypostatic union

2026-06-27T10:42:49Z

Inistea: ro

'''Hypostatic union''' (from the Greek: ὑπόστασις, "hypostasis," translated ''reality'' or ''person'') <ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hypostatic_union&oldid=204487186 "Hypostatic union." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Apr 2008, 16:59 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 6 Jun 2008.]</ref> is a term in Christian [[theology]] used to describe the [[Incarnation]] expressing the revealed truth that in [[Christ]] one person subsists in two [[Theosis|natures]], the Divine and the human. <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07610b.htm Pace, Edward. "Hypostatic Union." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 5 Jun. 2008.]</ref>

{{stub}}

== See also ==
* [[Theosis]]
* [[Miaphysitism]]

== References ==
<references/>

== Further Reading ==
* J. Meyendorff, Byzantine Theology, New York (Fordham University Press), 1974.
* Vl. Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, London (J. Clarke), 1968.
* J. Karmiris, A Synopsis of the Dogmatic Theology of the Orthodox Catholic Church, trans. Rev. G. Dimopoulos, Scranton (Christian Orthodox Edition), 1973.

== External links ==

'''Eastern Orthodox articles:'''
* [http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8038 "The Dogmatic Tradition of the Orthodox Church"] by His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh ([[GOARCH]] article)
* [http://www.oca.org/FSprint.asp?id=7 "Sermon on the Transfiguration"] by Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of [[Thessalonica]] ([[OCA]] article)
* [http://www.oca.org/OrthFaithPrintable.asp?ID=138 "Bible: Church History" Chapter: Fifth Century] and [http://www.oca.org/OrthFaithPrintable.asp?ID=139 Chapter: Sixth Century] ([[OCA]] article)
* [http://www.oca.org/PDF/DOC-PUB/EPA/AIC-2005-Summer.pdf "Alive in Christ"]

'''Oriental Orthodox articles:'''
* [http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/files/ecumenieng/Explaining.doc "Explaining the Theological Basis of Patristic Teachings] by His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, Kafr El-Sheikh, Barary.

[[Category:Theology]]

[[ro:Unirea ipostatică]]

Peter of Sebaste

2026-06-17T13:16:23Z

Inistea: ro

Our Father among the [[saint]]s '''Peter of Sebaste''' was the youngest member of a large family of distinguish Christians that included Ss [[Macrina the Elder]], [[Basil the Elder]], [[Emily]], [[Theosebia the Deaconess]], [[Macrina the Younger]], [[Basil the Great]], [[Naucratius]] and [[Gregory of Nyssa]]. He served as [[bishop]] of Sebaste in Armenia and participated in the [[Second Ecumenical Council]]. He is commemorated on [[January 9]].

==Life==
Peter was born about the year 340, the youngest child of Basil the Elder and wife Emmelia (Emily). As he grew up, his eldest sister, Macrina the Younger, greatly influenced his religious training, directing him toward a spiritual and ascetic life. He devoted himself to meditation on the [[Holy Scripture]] and preparation for a religious life. After his brother, Basil the Great, was elevated to the [[see]] of [[Caesarea]], he [[ordination|ordained]] Peter to the [[priest]]hood, but Peter continued the life of a solitary [[ascetic]]. Peter remained close to his mother and sister, and helped them in founding a [[monastery]] after his father died.

About 380, Peter was elevated to the see of Sebaste in Armenia. Little is known of his activities as bishop other than he was united with his brothers in their Orthodoxy. Peter joined with his brothers, Basil and Gregory, in a common stand against the [[heresy|heresies]] of [[Arianism]] and [[Macedonianism]] and participated in the Second Ecumenical Council in [[Constantinople]] in 381.

While Peter was not a writer, he inspired his brother Gregory to write such works as “''Against Eunomius''”, “''Treatise on the Work of the Six Days''”, and “''On the Endowment of Man''”. Peter reposed in 391 and began to be honored as a saint soon afterward.

==Sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Sebaste Wikipedia: Peter of Sebaste]
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp OCA: Peter of Sebaste]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]

[[ro:Petru al Sevastiei]]

Cathach of St. Columba

2026-06-10T00:08:10Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Cathach.jpg|thumb|300px|Text from the Cathach of St. Columba]]
The '''''Cathach of St. Columba''''' is a sixth or seventh century Irish [[Psalter]] using the Latin text of the [[Vulgate]].

==History==
It is traditionally associated with St. [[Columba of Iona]] (d. 597), and was identified as the copy clandestinely made by him of a Psalter loaned to him by St. [[Finnian of Moville]]. Being the first recorded case of copyright infringement in history, the resultant dispute led to the Battle of Cul Dremhe in 561. (Contrary to traditional accounts, paleographic studies suggest a later date for the manuscript, the early seventh century.)

The ''Cathach'' was enclosed in a [[shrine]] in the eleventh century by Cathbar O'Donnell, head of the O'Donnell Clan, and Domnall McGroarty, [[Abbot]] of Kells. The shrine was carried into battle by the McGroarty as a talisman (hence the name: ''Cathach'' means "Battler"). The manuscript was rediscovered in 1813, when the shrine was opened. The ''Cathach'' was entrusted to the Royal Irish Academy in 1842 by Sir Richard O'Donnell. The O'Donnell family always claimed ownership of the ''Cathach'', but the manuscript had remained in the custody of the McGroartys its official keepers.

Today, the manuscript is in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin, while its shrine is in the National Museum of Ireland, also in Dublin.

==Description==
There are 58 folios in the damaged and incomplete manuscript. The maximum size is 200 by 130 mm. The extant portions include Psalms 30:10 to 105:13, and Irish Gaelic [[rubrics]] appear above the Psalm texts. It is thus both the oldest known Irish manuscript and contains the earliest examples of old Irish Gaelic in writing.

The decoration of the ''Cathach'' is limited to the initial letter of each Psalm. Each initial is in black ink and is larger than the main text. They are decorated with trumpet, spiral and guilloch patterns and are often outlined with orange dots. These patterns are not merely appended to the letters or used to fill spaces. They instead distort the shape of the letters themselves. The letters following the enlarged initials gradually reduce in size until they reach the same size as the main text. Although the motifs of the ''Cathach'' decoration are not similar to decorations in later manuscripts, such as the Book of Durrow (which followed the Cathach by as many as seventy years), the ideas of decoration which distorts the shape of the letters and the diminution of initial letters are ideas which are worked out in great detail in later Insular art.

==See also==
*[[Psalter]]

==External links==
*[http://www.ria.ie/publications/e-publications/cathach/ The ''Cathach'' of Colum Cille] at the [http://www.ria.ie/ Royal Irish Academy] (includes a graphic demonstration tour of the manuscript)
*[http://www.maryjones.us/jce/cathach.html An Cathach] at [http://www.maryjones.us/jce/jce_index.html Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia]

[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category:Scripture]]
[[Category:Texts]]

[[ro:Cathach a Sfântului Columba]]

Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)

2026-06-01T21:42:44Z

Inistea: ro

[[File:Church of the Nativity Bethlehem.jpg|thumb|right|Church of the Nativity Bethlehem - Interior of the basilica in the 1930s]]
The '''Church of the Nativity''' in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating [[church]]es in the world. The original structure was built by St. [[Macarius I of Jerusalem]] at the direction of [[Constantine the Great]] following the [[First Ecumenical Council]] in 325. That structure was burnt down in the Samaritan revolt of 529.

It is administered by a coalition of [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] clerics. Tradition records that the church was built over Jesus' birthplace, and it is held as sacred by both Christians and [[Islam|Muslims]].

It is actually a combination of two churches, with a basement where many believe Jesus was born:
*The main section (the [[basilica]]) now in the care of the Orthodox [[Church of Jerusalem]]. It is designed like a generic Roman basilica. With three [[aisle]]s and an [[apse]]. Although presently in a state of decay, it once featured golden mosaics covering the side walls, and a Roman style floor (since covered over). It also features a large [[iconostasis]], and a complex array of lamps throughout the entire church.
*The adjoining Roman Catholic church, which is done in a more modern Gothic revival style, and has since been further modernized according to the liturgical trends after Vatican II.
*The underground cave, which features the [[altar]] over the place Jesus was said to have been born. The exact spot is marked by a hole in the middle of a silver star, surrounded by silver lamps. This altar is neutral although it features primarily [[Church of Armenia|Armenian Orthodox]] design.

==2002 incident==
The church was in the news briefly as the third millennium began, when armed Palestinians took refuge in it. A standoff ensued starting on [[April 2]], 2002 with Israeli occupation forces which put the building under siege.

Press reports were often unclear as to the status of civilians (including a number of [[clergy]] and [[monasticism|monastics]]) inside the compound, alternately saying that they were free to go or being held inside by either of the two sides (Arab hostage takers and Israeli soldiers). Press reports indicated that the Israeli forces permitted unarmed civilians to leave but that they shot and killed one or more persons who upon leaving the church refused to submit to a weapons frisk.

The 38-day stand-off came to an end on [[May 9]] when the Palestinians inside agreed to have 13 suspected fighters among them deported to several different countries.

==See also==
*[[Church of Jerusalem]]

[[Category:Churches|Nativity ]]
[[Category: Churches in Palestine|Nativity ]]

[[ro:Biserica Nașterii Domnului (Betleem)]]

Germanus of Paris

2026-05-27T22:40:29Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Saint germain.jpg|thumb|St Germanus of Paris.]]
Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Germanus of Paris''', also '''Germain of Paris''', was the Bishop of Paris from 536 to 576. He courageously sought, largely unsuccessfully, to end the civil strife and restrain the viciousness of the Frankish kings. He founded a [[monastery]] at Paris now known as Saint Germain-des-Pres. He is commemorated on [[May 28]].

==Life==
St. Germanus was born, c. 496, near Augustodunum, Gaul, present day Autun, in Saone-et-Loire. His parents were Eleutherius and Eusebia. He was educated under the care of his cousin Scapilion, a [[priest]], in Avalon and Luzy. He was diligent in his religious life and attended [[Matins]] at midnight regardless of the weather. In 530, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a priest at the age of 34 by Agrippinus the [[bishop]] of Autun and was appointed [[abbot]] of the Monastery of St. Symphorien near Autun. Fr. Germanus lived a life of hard work and austerity and was generous in his almsgiving.

In 554, Germanus was in Paris when Eusebius the bishop of Paris died. The Frankish King Childebert, with the unanimous support of the [[clergy]] and [[laity|people]], nominated Fr. Germanus successor to Bp. Eusebius as Bishop of Paris. After his [[consecration of a bishop|consecration]] Bp. Germanus continued his austere and prayerful life style and greatly influenced Childebert, who had been living a sinful life, to reform.

Bp. Germanus took part in a number of councils in France. He attended the Third and Fourth Councils of Paris in 557 and 573. He also participated in the Second Council of Tours in 566.

During 542, King Childebert had besiege the city of Saragossa in Spain. After the inhabitants of the city placed themselves under his protection and carried in procession the [[relics]] of St. Vincent, a [[martyr]]ed [[deacon]], Childebert was moved by their devotion. After speaking with the bishop of the city, he lifted the siege in return for the blood stained stole that had belonged to the saint. After returning to Paris the king built in the Celles suburbs of Paris a church in honor of St. Vincent and the Holy Cross that is now known as St. Germain des Prés (of the fields). Later, when Childebert fell ill at his palace at Celles, near Melun, with an illness for which his physicians were not able to find a cure, Bp. Germanus paid the king a visit. The bishop spent the night praying with the king for his recovery. The next morning Bp. Germanus laid his hand on Childebert, who suddenly found himself completely healed. In gratitude to God for the miracle, Childebert gave to the church of Paris the lands of Celles.

The king had chosen the Church of St. Vincent as the place of his burial. On [[December 23]], 558, Bp. Germanus and six other bishops performed the ceremony of the dedication of the church that became the royal burial place for the French kings. On that day, King Childebert died.

After the death of King Childebert, Bp. Germanus became enmeshed in the civil strife caused by rivalry among the kings' nephews who had divided the realm of Childebert into four parts. In this he was not successful although he ended up excommunicating Charibert I in 568 for personal wickedness.

Bp. Germanus reposed on May 28, 576, having been unable to establish peace among the warring brothers and their wives. His body was interred in St. Symphorien's [[chapel]] in the vestibule of St. Vincent's Church. In 754, his [[relics]] were translated to the body of the church in the presence of Pepin and his seven year old son Charlemagne, to be. From that time the church became known as St. Germain-des-Pres.

==Works==
Among the works of St. Germanus is his "[[Divine Liturgy according to St Germanus of Paris|An Exposition of the Liturgy]]", a genuine [[Gallican Rite|Gallican]] [[Divine Liturgy|liturgy]] that was used in France before the [[Roman rite]] was introduced in the time of Charlemagne and Pope Adrian I. A pastoral reconstruction of the rite was made in the mid-20th century by Evgraf Kovalevsky (later [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis]]) and is known as [[Divine Liturgy according to St. Germanus of Paris]].

==Hymns==
Troparion, Tone 7

Holy Germanus, as bishop of Paris you remained the monk you always were,
cherishing the beauty of the Liturgy and developing the cult of the saints.
Your miracles merited your veneration by young and old alike.
It was thus that you exercised a happy influence over the powerful,
and prevailed on them to free slaves and release prisoners.
And in the name of Christ, in the Church of Gaul you made to reign concord and peace.

Kontakion, Tone 8

Let us celebrate the father of the poor, the treasure of the needy, the master of wisdom of kings and powerful men,
the unifier of the Church of Gaul, the unmercenary healer of all illnesses:
St Germanus, the founder of the abbey that still bears his name,
the crafter of peace, the exemplary pastor of Paris:
for he intercedes for our souls before Christ our God.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Paris|
years= 536-576|
after=?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06473a.htm Cath. Ency: St. Germain]
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsg.htm Germanus of Paris May 28. c 496-576]
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/231185/Saint-Germanus-of-Paris Britannica: Saint-Germanus-of-Paris]
*[http://www.bartleby.com/210/5/281.html St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, Confessor]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=101558 OCA: St Germanus the Bishop of Paris]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: French Saints]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:6th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Paris]]
[[Category:6th-century saints]]

[[ro:Gherman al Parisului]]

Peter of Sebaste

2026-05-12T13:52:29Z

Inistea:

Peter of Sebaste

2026-05-12T12:00:54Z

Inistea: Gregory of Nyssa

Our Father among the [[saint]]s '''Peter of Sebaste''' was the youngest member of a large family of distinguish Christians that included Ss [[Macrina the Elder]], [[Basil the Elder]], [[Emily]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], [[Macrina the Younger]], [[Basil the Great]], [[Naucratius]] and [[Gregory of Nyssa]]. He served as [[bishop]] of Sebaste in Armenia and participated in the [[Second Ecumenical Council]]. He is commemorated on [[January 9]].

==Life==
Peter was born about the year 340, the youngest child of Basil the Elder and wife Emmelia (Emily). As he grew up, his eldest sister, Macrina the Younger, greatly influenced his religious training, directing him toward a spiritual and ascetic life. He devoted himself to meditation on the [[Holy Scripture]] and preparation for a religious life. After his brother, Basil the Great, was elevated to the [[see]] of [[Caesarea]], he [[ordination|ordained]] Peter to the [[priest]]hood, but Peter continued the life of a solitary [[ascetic]]. Peter remained close to his mother and sister, and helped them in founding a [[monastery]] after his father died.

About 380, Peter was elevated to the see of Sebaste in Armenia. Little is known of his activities as bishop other than he was united with his brothers in their Orthodoxy. Peter joined with his brothers, Basil and Gregory, in a common stand against the [[heresy|heresies]] of [[Arianism]] and [[Macedonianism]] and participated in the Second Ecumenical Council in [[Constantinople]] in 381.

While Peter was not a writer, he inspired his brother Gregory to write such works as “''Against Eunomius''”, “''Treatise on the Work of the Six Days''”, and “''On the Endowment of Man''”. Peter reposed in 391 and began to be honored as a saint soon afterward.

==Sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Sebaste Wikipedia: Peter of Sebaste]
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp OCA: Peter of Sebaste]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]

Category:Deacons

2026-05-07T12:01:59Z

Inistea: ro

[[Category:Clergy]]

[[ro:Categorie:Diaconi]]

Theosebia the Deaconess

2026-05-07T11:38:59Z

Inistea: ro

The Blessed '''Theosebia the Deaconess''' was the sister of Ss. [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], and Peter the [[Bishop]] of Sebaste. Her [[feast day]] is [[January 10]].

==Life==
St. Theosebia was a member of a very distinguished Orthodox Christian family of the fourth century. Traditionally, she is held to be the sister of Ss. [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], and [[Peter of Sebaste]]. The date of her birth is unknown. She was a virgin and served the church in Nyssa as a deaconess, caring for the sick, distributing food to vagrants, raising orphans, and preparing women for [[baptism]].

As well as the three years her brother Gregory of Nyssa was in exile during which she had accompanied him, St. Theosebia also shared in all the tribulations of a life of wandering.

Following her death in 385, St. Theosebia was eulogized by [[Gregory the Theologian]] in a letter of condolence to Gregory of Nyssa. <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3103c.htm Ep. CXCVII A Letter of Condolence on the Death of His Sister Theosebia.] </ref>. In view of the ambiguity of St. Theosebia's relationship with Gregory of Nyssa as noted in Gregory's letter, some historians have supposed Theosebia was the wife of Gregory of Nyssa.

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100145 OCA: Blessed Theosebia the Deaconess, sister of Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa]
*[[Wikipedia: Theosebia]]
*[http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/01/saint-theosevia-deaconess-of-nyssa.html Saint Theosevia the Deaconess of Nyssa]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category: 4th-century saints]]

[[ro:Teosebia Diaconița]]

Macrina the Elder

2026-05-07T10:03:25Z

Inistea: /* Life */

Our venerable mother Saint '''Macrina the Elder''' was from a family of [[saint]]s. She was the mother of St. [[Basil the Elder]] and the grandmother of Ss. [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], [[Peter of Sebaste]], and [[Macrina the Younger]]. She lived in Neocaesarea in Pontus during the times of the Roman emperors Galerius and Diocletian.

==Life==
Little is known of the life of Macrina the Elder. She was born about 270 or before. St. [[Gregory the Wonderworker]] was her spiritual director and [[bishop]] of her home town during her youth. During the persecutions of Galerius and Diocletian, Macrina and her husband suffered greatly, and spending, during the Diocletian persecutions, some six or more years in hiding along the shores of the Black Sea.

She was known for her sense of justice and enduring faith. She imbued in her children and grandchildren the seeds of piety and greatly influenced their intellectual and religious training.

She died about 340. Her feast is celebrated on [[January 14]].

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Macrina_the_Elder Wikipedia: St. Macrina the Elder]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Macrina the Elder]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ro:Macrina cea Bătrână]]

Basil the Elder

2026-05-07T10:02:11Z

Inistea:

Saint '''Basil the Elder''' raised in Neocaesarea in Pontus. The son of [[Macrina the Elder]], Basil is said to have moved with the family to the shores of the Black Sea during the persecution of Christians under Galerius. He married into the wealthy family of his wife [[Emily]] of Caesarea, and settled in [[Caesarea]]. There, he and his wife, with the help of his mother, raised a family that would greatly influence Christian history. Of their nine children, five of them are remembered by name and are considered to be [[saints]]: [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], [[Peter of Sebaste]], [[Naucratius]], and Saint [[Macrina the Younger]].

==Source==
*[[w:Basil the Elder]]

{{stub}}

[[ro:Vasile cel Bătrân]]

Macrina the Elder

2026-05-07T10:01:11Z

Inistea:

Our venerable mother Saint '''Macrina the Elder''' was from a family of [[saint]]s. She was the mother of St. [[Basil the Elder]] and the grandmother of Ss. [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], [[Peter of Sebaste]], and [[Macrina the Younger]]. She lived in Neocaesarea in Pontus during the times of the Roman emperors Galerius and Diocletian.

==Life==
Little is known of the life of Macrina the Elder. She was born about 270 or before. St. [[Gregory Thaumaturgus]] was her spiritual director and [[bishop]] of her home town during her youth. During the persecutions of Galerius and Diocletian, Macrina and her husband suffered greatly, and spending, during the Diocletian persecutions, some six or more years in hiding along the shores of the Black Sea.

She was known for her sense of justice and enduring faith. She imbued in her children and grandchildren the seeds of piety and greatly influenced their intellectual and religious training.

She died about 340. Her feast is celebrated on [[January 14]].

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Macrina_the_Elder Wikipedia: St. Macrina the Elder]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Macrina the Elder]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ro:Macrina cea Bătrână]]

Macrina the Elder

2026-05-07T09:57:06Z

Inistea: ro

Our venerable mother Saint '''Macrina the Elder''' was from a family of [[saint]]s. She was the mother of St. [[Gregory the Elder]] and the grandmother of Ss. [[Basil the Great]], [[Gregory of Nyssa]], [[Peter of Sebaste]], and [[Macrina the Younger]]. She lived in Neocaesarea in Pontus during the times of the Roman emperors Galerius and Diocletian.

==Life==
Little is known of the life of Macrina the Elder. She was born about 270 or before. St. [[Gregory Thaumaturgus]] was her spiritual director and [[bishop]] of her home town during her youth. During the persecutions of Galerius and Diocletian, Macrina and her husband suffered greatly, and spending, during the Diocletian persecutions, some six or more years in hiding along the shores of the Black Sea.

She was known for her sense of justice and enduring faith. She imbued in her children and grandchildren the seeds of piety and greatly influenced their intellectual and religious training.

She died about 340. Her feast is celebrated on [[January 14]].

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Macrina_the_Elder Wikipedia: St. Macrina the Elder]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Macrina the Elder]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ro:Macrina cea Bătrână]]

Sergius II of Constantinople

2026-04-12T20:56:11Z

Inistea:

'''Sergius II of Constantinople''' was the ninety ninth [[patriarch]] of Constantinople, serving from 999 to 1019. He was a firm opponent of the use of the term ''[[filioque]]'' in the creed.

Little is known of the early life of Sergius II. He was an [[abbot]] of a [[monastery]] in Constantinople when he was elected patriarch. The year he became patriarch is shown variously as either 999 or 1001. The date commonly used by the Orthodox is 999. He was among the first patriarchs to use the title ''Ecumenical Patriarch'', this over the objections of the [[Pope]] of Rome.

Sergius II became [[patriarch]] during the time that the institution of [[charistikion]] was actively used within the empire. Charistikion was a practice wherein the donation (charistike dorea) of monasteries to private individuals was made supposedly to support the operation of monasteries, but in actuality was used by the wealthy gentry to gain income. This practice was strongly supported by emperor Basil for which his law ''Peri ton dynaton'' had been enacted. The institution of charistikion was not popular among the hierarchy and was challenged by Sergius' predecessor [[Sisinnius II of Constantinople|Patr. Sisinnios II]]. After he came to the [[see]] of Constantinople in 999, Patr. Sergius continued to resist the charistike dorea. However, as Emperor Basil refused to repeal his law, Patr. Sergius II resumed its use in 1016.

Sergius II was a firm opponent of the addition of the term ''filioque'' to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]]. Over this issue Sergius was alleged to have removed the name of the Pope of Rome, [[Sergius IV of Rome|Sergius IV]], from the diptychs of the [[Church of Constantinople]], although often changes in the incumbency of the Roman throne meant that a Pope's name would be omitted on diptychs because of slow communications of the time.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Sisinnius II of Constantinople|Sisinnius II]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years= 999-1019|
after=Eustathius}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/greatschism.aspx The Great Schism]
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/535554/Sergius-II Sergius-II]
*[http://www.stmaryofegypt.org/typika/typ017.html Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents]

==External link==
*[[w:Sergius_II_of_Constantinople]]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category:10th-11th-century bishops]]

[[ro:Serghie al II-lea al Constantinopolului]]

Meletius I Pegas of Alexandria

2026-03-17T21:15:55Z

Inistea: ro

His All-Holiness '''Meletius I Pegas''' (Greek: Μελέτιος Πηγάς) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 1590 to 1601. He vigorously opposed the [[Union of Brest]]-Litovsk in correspondence with the Polish king. He also served as [[locum tenens]] to the throne of the [[Church of Constantinople]].

==Life==
Meletius was born in Candia (Iraklion) on the Venetian controlled island of Crete in 1549. He studied classical philology, philosophy, and medicine in Padua, in Italy, and then later in Venice, before returning to Crete. There he entered a [[monasticism|monastic]] life. In Candia, on Crete he became a monastic [[superior]]. Later, he was sent into exile and eventually, after 1575, entered into the service of the Orthodox patriarchal courts at Alexandria and Constantinople.

In 1590, Meletius was [[enthronement|enthroned]] [[Patriarch]] of Alexandria and became involved in maintaining the position and prestige of Orthodoxy in the middle east and eastern Europe. This he did through theological debates and ecclesiastical diplomacy. He participated in a number of councils including those of Constantinople in 1593 and 1597. At the 1593 council, Meletius was among those who ratified the formation of the Patriarchate of Moscow. He vigorously opposed the negotiations by Orthodox with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in the Polish held areas bordering Russia that led to the [[Union of Brest]]-Litovsk. In correspondence with King Sigismund III of Poland, he denied the claims of papal supremacy. He also wrote against the Roman formulation of the [[filioque]].

In 1593, Patr. Meletius [[ordination|ordained]] the promising twenty-one year old [[Cyril Lucaris]] as [[deacon]] and then as [[priest]]. During the years of 1597 and 1598, Meletius was also the [[locum tenens]] for the throne of the Patriarch of Constantinople.

At the time, Roman Catholic Jesuits in the Middle East asserted a strong influence on the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Church]] to recognize the primacy of the [[Pope]] of Rome, drawing the Coptic Patriarch Gabriel VIII and one of his [[Chorbishop|Chorepiscopi]] to this belief. Through his persuasive arguments, Patr. Meletius was able to bring the Coptic Christians to change their mind and break off all contact with the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Meletius had also endeavored to bring about a rapprochement between the Coptic and the Orthodox communities, but was unsuccessful.

Patr. Meletius was also scholar with a complete command of the Greek, Latin, and Italian languages who also left thousands of letters and many important theological works. Meletius reposed on [[September 14]], 1601 in Alexandria and was succeeded by his protege Cyril Lucaris who was elected his successor as Cyril III.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Sylvester of Alexandria|Sylvester]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Alexandria|Patriarch of Alexandria]]|
years=1590-1601|
after=[[Cyril Lucaris|Cyril III]]}}
{{succession|
before=Theophanes I Karykes|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] locum tenens|
years=1597-1598|
after=Matthew II}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/373894/Meletios-Pegas Britannica: Meletios Pegas]
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=en&id=202 Cyril I Lucaris]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/church_history/makarios_patriarchate_alexandria.htm The Patriarchate of Alexandria Down the Centuries]
*[[wikipedia:Patriarch_Meletius_I_of_Alexandria]]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:16th-17th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Alexandria]]

[[ro:Meletie I (Pigas) al Alexandriei]]

Meletius I Pegas of Alexandria

2026-03-17T21:01:46Z

Inistea: ro

Sophronius IV of Jerusalem

2026-03-16T22:43:54Z

Inistea: ro

'''Sophronius IV of Jerusalem''' was the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the [[Church of Jerusalem]] from 1579 to 1608.

Following in succession after the repose of Patr. [[Germanus of Jerusalem|Germanus]], Patr. Sophronius continued the property rights claims on the [[Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)|Church of the Nativity]] in Bethlehem. n 1604, in a treaty with France the Ottoman sultan recognized the rights of the Latins in the Holy Lands after which the Latins gained access to the Golgotha and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. In 1605, he also obtained, under the New Capitulation agreements that exempted Europeans from Ottoman law, a [[firman]] from Sultan Ahmed I giving the Church of Jerusalem the northern part of the Golgotha, the place of the crucifixion.

Patr. Sophronius took part in three councils that condemned the adoption of the Gregorian calendar :
: The 1583 Council of Constantinople held on [[November 20]], 1583 with Patriarchs [[Jeremias II (Tranos) of Constantinople|Jeremias II of Constantinople]] and Sylvester of Alexandria, with other hierarchs. Issued [[Sigillion of 1583]]
: The 1587 Council of Constantinople with Patr. Jeremias II and Meletius Pegas, representing the [[Church of Alexandria]].
: The 1593 Council of Constantinople held in February 1593 in the Church of the Mother of God of Consolation, with Patriarchs Jeremias II, Joachim of Antioch, and [[Meletius I Pegas of Alexandria|Meletius I Pegas of Alexandria]].

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Germanus of Jerusalem|Germanus]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]]|
years=1579-1608|
after=Theophanes III}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/wwc/s.html Sophronius IV, Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, 1579-1608]
*[http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/en/per_tourkwn.htm Period of the Ottoman Turks Rule]
*[http://www.roacusa.org/Catechism/THE%20CALENDAR%20QUESTION.pdf The Calendar Question pp23-25 (pdf)]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Jerusalem]]
[[Category:16th-17th-century bishops]]

[[ro:Sofronie al IV-lea al Ierusalimului]]

Germanus of Jerusalem

2026-03-16T22:12:32Z

Inistea: ro

'''Germanus of Jerusalem''' was the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the [[Church of Jerusalem]] from 1537 to 1579. He is identified by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as '''Herman the Sabbait'''. He initiated the efforts by the patriarchate to reclaim patriarchal property that had been lost during the invasion by the Crusaders.

After the Turks under Selim took over Palestine in 1517 from the Mameluks of Egypt, the rights of the Church of Jerusalem were recognized with the [[firman]] issued by Sultan Suleiman in 1538. Patr. Germanus then initiated claims on property that had been lost during the Crusader occupation, notably the [[Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)|Church of the Nativity]] in Bethlehem. He also pursued the task of repairing the Holy Shrines from the abuse they had received.

Patr. Germanus re-organized the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and initiated their work of fundraising among the Orthodox countries of eastern Europe to finance the restoration and repair of the Holy Shrines, as guardians of the Holy Shrines. He also improved coordination among the Brotherhood, the [[abbot]], and the [[patriarch]] as well as fostered the exclusively Greek character of the Brotherhood.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Dorotheus II|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]]|
years=1537-1579|
after=[[Sophronius IV of Jerusalem|Sophronius IV]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/en/per_tourkwn.htm Jerusalem Patriarchate: Period of the Ottoman Turks Rule]
*[http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/wwc/g.html Germanos, Patriarch (1534-1579)]
*[http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/pope/10GPen/15/15GPdo02.html Franciscan: Status Quo]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:16th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Jerusalem]]

[[ro:Gherman I al Ierusalimului]]

Dionysius (disambiguation)

2026-01-06T21:08:04Z

Inistea:

''' ''Dionysius'' ''' may refer to the following:
 
===Saints===
* [[Dionysius the Areopagite]] († 1st c.), [[October 3]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/794/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης].'' 3 Οκτωβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102843 Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite the Bishop of Athens].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Dionysius of Corinth, Bishop and Hieromartyr († 182), [[November 29]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1311/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος].'' 29 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* [[Dionysius of Vienne]] († 193), [[May 8]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3066/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας].'' 8 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsd.htm May 8 - Dionysius].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* Dionysius the Hieromartyr, and eight other martyrs († ca.254), [[October 3]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/797/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῶ 8 Μάρτυρες].'' 3 Οκτωβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* [[Dionysius of Paris]] (''Denis''), Bishop († 258), [[October 9]]<ref>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102915 Hieromartyr Dionysius of Paris, Bishop].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref><ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/stdoct.htm October 9 - Denis, Rusticus and Eleutherius].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref><ref group="note">According to St Gregory of Tours, Denis, or Dionysius, was born in Italy and sent with five other bishops to Gaul: he became the first Bishop of Paris. He and his two companions were beheaded under Decius and the monastery of St Denis was built over their tomb.</ref>
* [[Dionysius of Alexandria]] († 265), [[October 5]]
* [[Dionysius of Rome]] († 268), [[December 26]]<ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/stddec.htm December 26 - Dionysius]].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* Dionysius of Augsburg († 303), [[February 26]]<ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsd.htm February 26 - Dionysius of Augsburg].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* Dionysius (martyr), the uncle of St Pancras († 304), [[May 12]]<ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsd.htm May 12 - Dionysius].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* Dionysius of Milan, Bishop of Milan († 359), [[May 25]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3379/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος Ἐπίσκοπος Μιλάνου].'' 25 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsd.htm May 25 - Dionysius of Milan].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* Dionysia, Dativa, Leontia, Tertius, Emilian, Boniface and Companions, Martyrs in North Africa († 484), [[December 6]]<ref>''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsd.htm December 6 - Dionysia, Dativa, Leontia, Tertius, Emilian, Boniface and Companions].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref>
* [[Dionysius Exiguus]] († c. 544), [[September 1]]
* Dionysius of Suzdal, Archbishop (''Dionysius I, Metropolitan of Moscow'') († 1385)<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3986/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Σουζδαλίας].'' 26 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101820 St Dionysius the Archbishop of Suzdal].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Dionysius of Glushetsk in Vologda, Abbot, Wonderworker († 1437)<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3515/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Διονύσιος ὁ Θαυματουργός τοῦ Γλουσέτσκ].'' 1 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101579 Venerable Dionysius the Abbot of Glushetsk, Vologda].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* [[Dionysius I of Constantinople]] († 1492), [[November 23]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1256/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως].'' 23 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* Dionysius the Merciful, Bishop of Larissa († 1510), [[March 28]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2484/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Διονύσιος ὁ Ἐλεήμων].'' 28 Μαρτίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* Dionysius of Olympus and Mt. Athos († 1541), [[January 24]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1877/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Διονύσιος ὁ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ].'' 24 Ιανουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100295 Venerable Dionysius of Olympus].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Dionysius of Larissa (''Dionysios of Trikkala; Dionysios the Skylosophos''), Metropolitan, Hieromartyr († 1611), [[October 10]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/849/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος ὁ Σκυλόσοφος].'' 10 Οκτωβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref group="note">{{el icon}} Μητροπολίτης Τρίκκης και ένθερμος πατριώτης στα χρόνια της τουρκοκρατίας (Παραμυθιά 1540 - Ιωάννινα 1611). Ο Διονύσιος σπούδασε στην Ιταλία και επιστρέφοντας χειροτονήθηκε το 1592 μητροπολίτης Τρίκκης. Το 1600 - 1601 οργάνωσε στη Θεσσαλία επανάσταση, η οποία καταπνίγηκε από τους Τούρκους στο αίμα. Μετά την αποτυχία αυτή κατέφυγε στην Ευρώπη και χωρίς να απογοητευτεί ξαναγύρισε το 1609 ή 1610 στην περιφέρεια της Θεσπρωτίας, όπου άρχισε την οργάνωση νέας επανάστασης. Με πολλούς αγρότες, που στρατολόγησε, κατόρθωσε τη νύχτα της 10ης Σεπτεμβρίου 1611 να μπει στα Ιωάννινα και να πυρπολήσει το τουρκικό διοικητήριο. Οι Τούρκοι όμως ανασυντάχτηκαν γρήγορα και διέλυσαν τους επαναστάτες. Ο Διονύσιος τότε κρύφτηκε σε μια σπηλιά του κάστρου. Όταν τον ανακάλυψαν οι Τούρκοι τον έγδαραν ζωντανό. Η σκωπτική προσωνυμία του Διονυσίου "Σκυλόσοφος" (ή Κακοδιονύσιος), του δόθηκε από τους αντίπαλούς του.</ref>
* [[Dionysius of Zakynthos]] († 1622), [[December 17]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1472/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Διονύσιος ὁ Θαυματουργός ὁ ἐκ Ζακύνθου, Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Αἰγίνης].'' 17 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref> and [[August 24]]
* Dionysius of Radonezh, Archimandrite of the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra († 1633)<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3133/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Διονύσιος τοῦ Ραντονέζ].'' ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101359 Venerable Dionysius the Archimandrite of St Sergius' Monastery]. OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Dionysius of [[w:Pereslavl-Zalessky|Pereslavl-Zalessky]], Venerable monk († 1645)<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2666/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Διονύσιος τοῦ Περεγιασλάβλ].'' 15 Απριλίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>

===Deceased Bishops===
* [[Dionysius II of Constantinople]] (†1555)
* [[Dionysius IV Muselimes of Constantinople]] (†1694)
* [[Dionysius (Diachenko) of Pittsburgh]] (†c.1947-52)
* [[Dionysius (Waledynski) of Warsaw]] (†1960)

===Current Bishops===
* [[Dionysios (Mantalos) of Corinth]]
* [[Dionysios IV (Sifnaios) of Zakynthos]]

===Other===
* [[Dionisius|Dionisius the Wise]] (†ca.1508)

----

===Notes===
<references group="note" />

==References==
<div><references/></div>

 
{{disambig}}

[[ro:Dionisie]]

Eubotius

2025-12-17T19:42:25Z

Inistea: ro

The holy [[martyr]] '''Eubotius at Cyzicus''' (or Eubiotos) was a [[saint]] who lived during the late third and early fourth centuries. Because he led a virtuous life among heathen Greeks to their dislike he suffered cruelly before he reposed to the Lord. He is commemorated on [[December 18]].

==Life==
Eubotius lived during the reign of the Emperor Maximian in 298. He came from a village called Ptoketon, which lies in the province called "of Opsikios". He was born and brought up there, and this is also where he died. Because the saint led a life pleasing to God and excelled in every kind of [[Virtues|virtue]], he suffered much harm from the Greeks as he moved from place to place and was beaten. Moreover, he suffered exceedingly because he performed many [[miracle]]s and through them he made many unbelievers return to the faith of [[Christ]]. Once, after he had been roughly beaten by the Greeks with sticks and stones, he was thrown into the fire. But because he was kept harmless through the grace of Christ, many people who saw this were amazed, believed in Christ, and were [[Baptism|baptised]] at the [[church]] there, which had been established by the apostles [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] and [[Apostle Silas|Silas]].

When Leontios, the governor of Kyzikos (Cyzicus), was informed of this, he sent men to bind the [[saint]] and immediately ordered to them hit Eubotius on the mouth, jaws, and cheeks with stones. Then they hung him on a tree and tore his body apart with whips. Next they threw him to the lions to be eaten. But, when the lions did not harm Eubotius, they locked him in prison. Again many Greeks saw this admirable thing, hastened to the faith of Christ, and were baptised. The governor, however, ordered the gladiators to kill the saint. Instead, they killed each other because darkness had come over them. The martyr was kept unharmed and was thrown again in prison. Twenty-two days later a God-sent and joyous message was heard: [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] was coming from the western parts of Europe to the east to fight the tyrant Maximian. Maximian was so scared that he ordered the Christians set free from prisons and chains. That is when this great saint Eubotius was set free from his chains, returned to his cell, lived for five more years, and, after he had performed many more miracles, commended his spirit to the Lord in peace in 318. The Church remembers him as a martyr (though he was not killed) on December 18.

==Source==
''Lives of the Saints for the Whole Year'' by St. [[Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain]] (18th century) [http://calendar.goarch.org/December/DEC_18.html]

[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ro:Eviot din Cizic]]

Archbishop of Canterbury

2025-11-21T21:29:58Z

Inistea: ro

The '''Archbishop of Canterbury''' is "the [[primate]] of all England" within the Church of England and the spiritual head of the [[Anglican Communion]]. His see is at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England and his residence is Lambeth Palace in London.

==The current archbishop==
The current Archbishop of Canterbury is the Right Honorable and Most Reverend Justin Welby, 105th holder of the Chair of St. [[Augustine of Canterbury]].

==The previous archbishop==
Rowan Douglas Williams was born in Wales on [[June 14]], 1950. He studied theology at Christ's College of Cambridge University where he doctoral work on the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox]] Church and particularly the thought of [[Vladimir Lossky]]. For some years he was a professor of theology at Oxford University. In 1992 he was elevated to Anglican Bishop of Monmouth, and then in 2000 he was made Anglican Archbishop of Wales. In 2002 he was elevated to Archbishop of Canterbury, from which he retired in 2012.

A prolific writer, Dr. Williams has published books in theology, spirituality, Christian history and poetry. Of particular interest to Orthodox Christians might be two books of meditations on [[iconography|icons]], entitled ''The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ'' (ISBN 0802827780) and ''Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin'' (ISBN 1580511244). He is also the editor of the book ''Sergii Bulgakov: Towards a Russian Political Theology'' (ISBN 056708650X).

==History==
Christianity reached England by the middle of the second century. As St. [[Bede]] relates in his ''[[Ecclesiastical History of the English People]]'', in 156 a British King by the name of Lucius wrote to Eleutherus, bishop of Rome, asking to be made a Christian. (Bk 1, Chap 4) With the work of missionaries throughout the first few centuries AD, Christianity spread and took root.

In 596 Pope [[Gregory the Great]] decided to send a mission to the Anglo-Saxons in the British Isles. He chose a to send a group of [[Rule of St. Benedict|Benedictine]] monks, under the leadership of St. [[Augustine of Canterbury]] (not to be confused with [[Augustine of Hippo]]). Augustine and his fellow monks arrived in Kent in 597 and eventually a see city was set up in Canterbury, Augustine being the first Archbishop. It is said that that when they arrived they were "carrying a silver cross and an image of Jesus Christ painted on a board, which thus became, so far as we know, 'Canterbury's first [[icon]].'" (''Lesser Feasts and Fasts'', p. 252)

With Augustine and those who came after him, the British Isles were slowly put under the authority of the Church of Rome. As with the rest of the Western Church, this authority increased over the next 500 years.

Up until the time of the Anglican Reformation, the Archbishop of Canterbury was an appointee of the [[Church of Rome|Bishop of Rome]]. Thus, at the time of the [[Great Schism]] the Church in England went along with the Western side of the break, accepting Papal supremacy and the [[Filioque]].

In the 16th century, England, influenced both by political factors and the Continental Reformation, broke away from [[Roman Catholic Church|Rome]] and became an independent Church. Thus, the list of successive Archbishops of Canterbury, can be categorized according to three groups: Orthodox Archbishops, Roman Catholic Archbishops and Reformation Archbishops (see below).

==Archbishops of Canterbury throughout history==
===Orthodox Archbishops of Canterbury===
*1. St. [[Augustine of Canterbury]], 597-605
*2. St. [[Laurence of Canterbury]] (aka Laurentius), 605-619
*3. St. [[Mellitus|Mellitus]], 619-624
*4. St. [[Justus|Justus]], 624-627
*5. St. [[Honorius of Canterbury]], 627-653
*6. St. [[Deusdedit of Canterbury]], 655-664
*7. St. [[Theodore of Tarsus]], 668-690
*8. St. [[Berhtwald]], 693-731
*9. St. [[Tatwine]], 731-734
*10. St. [[Nothelm]], 734-740
*11. St. [[Cuthbert of Canterbury]], 740-758
*12. St. [[Bregowine]], 759-762
*13. Jaenbert, 763-790
*14. Ethelhard, 790-803
*15. Wulfred, 803-829
*16. Feologeld, 829-830
*17. Ceolnoth, 830-870
*18. Ethelred of Canterbury, 870-889
*19. Plegmund, 891-923
*20. Athelm, 923-925
*21. Wulfhelm, 928-941
*22. St. [[Oda of Canterbury]], 941-958
*23. Aelsine, 958-959
*24. Brithelm, 959
*25. St. [[Dunstan of Canterbury|Dunstan]], 959-988
*26. Ethelgar, 988-989
*27. Sigeric, 990-994
*28. Aelfric, 995-1005
*29. St. [[Alphege]], 1006-1-012
*30. Lyfing, 1013-1020
*31. Ethelnoth, 1020-1038
*32. Eadsige, 1038-1050
*33. Robert of Jumièges, 1051-1052
*34. Stigand, 1052-1070

===Roman Catholic Archbishops of Canterbury===
*35. Lanfranc, 1070-1089
*36. Anselm, 1093-1109
*37. Ralph d'Escures, 1114-1122
*38. William de Corbeil, 1123-1136
*39. Theobald, 1139-1161
*40. Thomas a Becket, 1162-1170
*41. Richard of Dover, 1174-1184
*42. Baldwin, 1185-1190

*43. Hubert Walter, 1193-
*44. Stephen Langton, 1207-1228
*45. Richard le Grant, 1229-1231
*46. Edmund of Abingdon, 1233-1240
*47. Boniface of Savoy, 1245-1270
*48. Robert Kilwardby, 1273-1278
*49. John Peckham, 1279-1292
*50. Robert Winchelsey, 1293-1313
*51. Walter Reynolds, 1313-1327
*52. Simon Meopham, 1327-1333
*53. John de Stratford, 1333-1348
*54. Simon Islip, 1349
*55. Thomas Bradwardine, 1349
*54. Simon Islip,1349-1366
*56. Simon Langham, 1366-1368
*57. William Whittlesey, 1368-1374
*58. Simon Sudbury, 1375-1381
*59. William Courtenay, 1381-1396
*60. Thomas Arundel, 1396-1398
*61. Roger Walden, 1398-
*60. Thomas Arundel (restored), 1399-
*62. Henry Chichele, 1414-1443
*63. John Stafford, 1443-1452
*64. John Kempe, 1452-1454
*65. Thomas Bourchier, 1454-1486
*66. John Morton, 1486-1500
*67. Henry Deane, 1501-1503
*68. William Warham, 1503-1532

===Post-Reformation Archbishops of Canterbury===
*69. Thomas Cranmer, 1553-1556
*70. Reginald Pole, 1556-1558
*71. Matthew Parker, 1559-1575
*72. Edmund Grindal, 1575-1583
*73. John Whitgift, 1583-1604
*74. Richard Bancroft, 1604-1610
*75. George Abbot, 1611-1633
*76. William Laud, 1633-1645
*77. William Juxon, 1660-1663
*78. Gilbert Sheldon, 1663-1677
*79. William Sancroft, 1678-1691
*80. John Tillotson, 1691-1694
*81. Thomas Tenison, 1694-1715
*82. William Wake, 1716-1737
*83. John Potter, 1737-1747
*84. Thomas Herring, 1747-1757
*85. Matthew Hutton, 1757-1758
*86. Thomas Secker, 1758-1768
*87. Frederick Cornwallis, 1768-1783
*88. John Moore, 1783-1805
*89. Charles Manners-Sutton, 1805-1828
*90. William Howley, 1828-1848
*91. John Bird Sumner, 1848-1862
*92. Charles Thomas Longley, 1862-1868
*93. Archibald Campbell Tait, 1868-1882
*94. Edward White Benson, 1882-1896
*95. Frederick Temple, 1896-1902
*96. Randall Thomas Davidson, 1903-1928
*97. William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1928-1942
*98. William Temple, 1942-1944
*99. Geoffrey Francis Fisher, 1945-1961
*100. Arthur Michael Ramsey, 1961-1974
*101. Frederick Donald Coggan, 1974-1980
*102. Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, 1980-1991
*103. George Leonard Carey, 1991-2001
*104. Rowan Douglas Williams, 2002-2012
*105. Justin Welby, 2013-

==External link==
* [http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ Official Website of the Archbishop of Canterbury]

[[Category:Bishops|Canterbury]]
[[Category:Bishops of Canterbury|*]]
[[Category:Church History|Canterbury]]
[[Category:Non-Orthodox|Canterbury]]

[[ro:Arhiepiscop de Canterbury]]

Category:Bishops of Canterbury

2025-11-21T21:19:34Z

Inistea: ro

[[Category:Bishops by city|Canterbury]]

[[ro:Categorie:Arhiepiscopi de Canterbury]]

Dunstan of Canterbury

2025-11-21T21:07:20Z

Inistea: ro

Our father among the saints '''Dunstan of Canterbury''' (''c,''909-d.988) was an Archbishop of Canterbury in Anglo-Saxon England. He actively supported the founding and restoration of monasteries in England and was influential among the kings of England. In addition he was an artisan, proficient as a goldsmith and metal-worker. He was [[glorification|canonized]] a [[saint]] in 1029. His [[feast]] day in [[May 19]].

==Life==
Dunstan was born of a Wessex noble family at Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, England. The date of his birth is unknown and has been in dispute, but may have been around 909. He was educated by Irish [[monk]]s from the [[abbey]] at Glastonbury. While a youth he was sent to the court of King Athelstan. About 934, Dunstan was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] and [[ordination|ordain]]ed a [[priest]] by his Uncle, St Alphege, who was [[Bishop]] of Winchester. He lived for a time as a hermit at Glastonbury. In 943, King Edmund called him to the royal court and appointed him [[abbot]] of Glastonbury. At the abbey he moved to re-establish a monastic life under the [[Rule of St. Benedict|Rules of St Benedict]]. Under his leadership the abbey was rebuilt and prospered, becoming a center of learning. At the same time Dunstan helped revitalize nearby [[monastery|monasteries]].

After King Edmund was murdered and [[Edred of England|Edred]] became king, Dunstan became his advisor, and began a reformation of all the monasteries in Edred’s kingdom. In time Dunstan became involved in the West Saxon politics and developed enemies when he censured Edred’s nephew Edwy for his scandalous lifestyle. In 955, Edwy succeeded Edred on the throne, and Edwy quickly took his revenge on Dunstan by confiscating his property and sending him into exile.

Dunstan fled to Flanders, to the Abbey of Mont Blandin, near Ghent. At the abbey, Dunstan experienced for the first time the disciplined life of the Benedictine order that he had introduced at Glastonbury. But, he did not stay long as toward the end of 957 Edwy’s excesses resulted in a revolt that drove him from the throne of the lands north of the Thames. His brother Edgar was then installed as king, and Dunstan was asked to return. On his return Abp. [[Oda of Canterbury]] consecrated him a bishop and appointed him to the [[see]] of Worcester. In 958 when the See of London became vacant this see was also conferred on Bp. Dunstan. Then in 960, King Edgar named Dunstan [[archbishop]] to the vacant see of Canterbury. After his return from receiving the [[pallium]] of office from Pope John XII in Rome, Abp. Dunstan became a close advisor of King Edgar and gained a position as virtual ruler of the kingdom. From this position Abp. Dunstan pushed reforms in the life of the realm, both within the Church and in the State. The crowning point of Abp. Dunstan’s work and statesmanship was the coronation in Bath of King Edgar in 673 by the two archbishops of Canterbury and York. The coronation service by Dunstan became the basis for British coronation service use through to today.

Two years later Edgar died, being succeeded by his oldest son, [[Edward the Martyr|Edward]] whom Dunstan crowned in Winchester. Then in March 978, King Edward was martyred and was succeeded by his step-brother Ethelred the Unready. The coronation of Ethelred was the last action of state performed by Abp. Dunstan. After Ethelred took the usual oath, Abp. Dunstan addressed the new king, rebuking him for the act that brought him to the throne and prophesying the coming misfortunes that were to fall on the realm. With this his influence at the court came to an end. He retired to Canterbury, to spend the remainder of his life there, active in his duties within the church.

The great Archbishop reposed on [[May 19]], 988. He was buried in his [[cathedral]] in Canterbury. Later, his [[relics]] were translated to a tomb near the high [[altar]] of the new cathedral after the original burned in 1074.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Ælfsige|
title=[[Archbishop of Canterbury]]|
years=959 - 988|
after=Æthelgar}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunstan St. Dunstan of Canterbury]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05199a.htm Dunstan Catholic Encyclopedia]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Saints of the British Isles]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:10th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Canterbury]]
[[Category:10th-century saints]]

[[ro:Dunstan de Canterbury]]

Edred of England

2025-11-21T20:46:58Z

Inistea:

The holy and right-believing King '''Edred of England''' (also '''Eadred'''; c. 923 - [[November 23]], 955) was King of England from 946 until his death. His [[feast day]] is [[November 23]]. He referred to himself as ''King of the Anglo-Saxons and Emperor of the whole of Britain''.

Edred succeeded his brother, King Edmund I, in 946 but suffered from poor health. He was an extremely religious man and continued his brother's appointment of St. [[Dunstan of Canterbury|Dunstan]] as a royal counselor. It was St. Edred's who first nominated St. Dunstan for the episcopacy in 953 to fill the vacant See of Crediton in Devon.

At the time of his death in Frome, in 955, he summoned St. Dunstan from Glastonbury to come with his treasures. On St. Clement's Day, the traveling party heard a voice from heaven exclaim, "King Edred now rests in peace," causing St. Dunstan's horse to die from the angelic power it beheld. The holy king never married and had no heirs. He was buried in Old Minster, Wincester, and was succeeded to the throne by his nephew, Edwig.
==Sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edred_of_England Edred of England] on Wikipedia
*[http://www.romanitas.ru/eng/THE%20FALL%20OF%20ORTHODOX%20ENGLAND%205X8.htm "The Fall of Orthodox England"] by Vladimir Moss
*Moss, Vladimir. ''The Saints of Orthodox England''. Vol. II. St. Nectarios Press: Seattle, 1993. (''p. 23-25'')

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Saints of the British Isles]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category:Rulers]]
[[Category:10th-century saints]]

Council of Arles of 314

2025-10-14T14:31:50Z

Inistea: ro

The '''Council of Arles of 314''' was the first representative meeting of Christian hierarchs held in the western part of the Roman Empire, called to consider an appeal by the heretical [[Donatism|Donatists]] over their condemnation at a Council of Rome in 313.

==History==
The council was called in August 314 by emperor [[Constantine the Great|Constantine I]] to rule on an appeal made to him by the Donatists after their condemnation by a Council in Rome the previous year. The council at Rome, that followed an earlier council at Carthage, affirmed the Carthage council condemnation of Donatism which also elected Caecilian of Carthage as [[bishop]] of Carthage and [[excommunication|excommunicated]] Donatus of Casae Nigrae, also known as [[Donatus Magnus]]. The Donatists appealed to Constantine on the basis that these councils were not representative.

The council was attended by 43 bishops or their representatives and was held at Arles in southern Gaul. In addition to the excommunication of Donatus, the council passed twenty-two [[Canon law|canons]] that were concerned with a number of subjects. These included that [[Pascha]] should be held on the same day throughout the world, rather than being set by each local [[church]]. The canons also banned the non-residence of clergy and ruled against participation in races and gladiatorial fights which was to be punished by excommunication, against the re-[[baptism]] of [[heretic]]s, and on other matters of discipline. The council also ruled [[clergy]] who could be proven to have delivered sacred books in persecution should be deposed, but their official acts were to be held valid. The council also ruled that at least three bishops was required at the [[consecration of a bishop]].

These canons were among the most important documents of early ecclesiastical legislation. The Arles council was also the first instance of an appeal by a Christian party to the secular power. As the appeal turned unfavorably for the Donatists, who afterwards became enemies of the Roman authorities, a [[schism]] developed as the Donatism drew upon African regional sentiment until the Arab invasions of the seventh and eight centuries.

The Council of Arles was the first church council called by emperor Constantine and was the forerunner of his calling the [[First Ecumenical Council]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/34981/Council-of-Arles Britannica: Council of Arles]
*[[Wikipedia: Synod_of_Arles]]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01727b.htm The Synods of Arles]

==External link==
*[[Wikipedia: Donatist]]

[[Category: Councils|Arles]]

[[ro: Sinodul de la Arles]]

Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)

2025-10-10T15:04:21Z

Inistea:

Basilica

2025-10-06T13:50:31Z

Inistea:

A '''basilica''' is a type of [[Church architecture]] from the times of the [[Byzantine Empire|christian Roman Empire]].

The Latin word '''basilica''' initially described a type of Roman building used as a principal public building for transacting business and legal matters with the magistrates conducting their business on a raised dais in the apse at the end of the building. These buildings were located usually at the forum in the center of Roman towns. With the legalization of Christianity the form of the basilica proved adaptable for Christian rites and was adopted for building large churches.

The basilica is a long rectangular building, with side aisles, that are separated from the central nave by columns. The [[nave]] is usually wider and sometimes higher than the aisles. Where the roof of the nave is higher than that of aisles, clerestory windows provide light directly into the nave area. In Christian usage the apse became the area of the [[altar]]. Notable classic examples of basilica style [[church]]es in eastern Europe include [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia of Constantinople]] and St. Sophia of Kiev.

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica Basilica from Wikipedia]
*[http://mileslewis.net/pdf/foundations/basilicas-martyria.pdf Basilicas & Martyria, pp43, 49-52, 59]

[[Category:Churches]]
[[Category:Church architecture]]

[[ro:Bazilică]]

Church architecture

2025-10-06T09:48:01Z

Inistea:

:''This article is on church architecture. For a general description and the theology of the Church, see [[Orthodox Church]] and [[Ecclesiology]].''

The word '''church''' is derived through Middle and Old English cirice, circe from the Koine {{lang-el|κυριακον}} ({{lang-el|δωμα}}) Lord's (house). However, most English versions of the New Testament use the word ''church'' to translate ecclesia (Koine {{lang-el|εκκλησία}}) "congregation, assembly", a word originally used without specific reference to religious gatherings.

==Dictionary==
Dictionaries give numerous meanings for the word ''church'' depending upon the context in which the word is used. These include:
* a building for public Christian worship.
* collectively, the whole body of Christ's followers.
* a [[congregation]].
* public worship - a religious service.
* a body of Christian believers of the same [[creed]], rites, and ecclesiastical authority.
* ecclesiastical power as distinguished from secular.
* the [[clergy]]; the clerical profession.
* of or pertaining to the church.
* performance a church service or ceremony for or with a person - as for a woman after giving birth.
* having to do with organized Christian worship.
[[Image:Ss Peter and Paul Church.jpg|right|thumb|Church Building]]
==Buildings==
In everyday use ''church'' refers, most often, to the building in which the local Christian congregation meets for worship. The building can be large or small. In the immediate years after [[Pentecost]] the new Christians met at the Temple and synagogues. After the destruction of the Temple and dispersion of the Christians, the followers of Christ met in private homes for their assemblies for divine services. After [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] issued the [[Edict of Milan]], larger buildings began to be built specifically for worship as the need to avoid attention disappeared.

Churches have been built in a variety of shapes. The usual local Orthodox [[parish]] church is a rectangular building. At one end, by tradition facing east, is the [[bema]] with the [[altar]] located on it. This area is usually separated from the nave by an altar screen ([[iconostasis]]) and/or chancel rail. Behind this separation is the altar table. By ancient tradition the nave may have benches lining the walls, but otherwise the church is without seats or chairs. At the west end there may be a room running the width of the church called the [[narthex]]. The narthex is separated from the nave by a wall with doors through which the congregations can enter the nave.

Other common styles of architecture for churches including [[Basilica]]s (Early Christian Church buildings with side aisles to the nave), octagonal shapes, square buildings, circular buildings, and buildings in the form of a cross. To create a high vaulted ceiling many churches have domed ceilings and may have bell towers either as part of the main building or separate free standing structures.

In time, churches that were the [[bishop]]'s church came to be called [[cathedral]]s, named after the bishop's seat, called the [[cathedra]].
Also, a class of building, or a room or space in a larger building or church, came to be called [[chapel]]s.

Often the main or largest church, especially in monasteries, is called a '''katholikon'''.

==Church building as an icon of the Church.==
Orthodox Church buildings are full of icons, but the very architecture and layout of the buildings are themselves icons of the Church. In the ornamentation of the church, the various iconographical scenes and figures are not arranged by chance, but according to a definite theological scheme, so that the whole edifice forms one great image of the Kingdom of God.

The Orthodox faithful can feel the building open up to a time without end. They are surrounded by the images of [[Christ]], the [[angels]], and the [[saint]]s, and are reminded of the invisible presence of the whole community of heaven at the [[Liturgy]]. Each local congregation, in their church building, can see that their Liturgy on earth is one and the same with the great Liturgy of heaven.

The building should help the faithful lay aside their earthly cares, as the Liturgy is celebrated, so that they, like the [[cherubim]], may welcome the king of all (see [[Cherubic Hymn]]).

===Temple of the living God===
The building should also reveal a basic understanding of Orthodox Christianity that God is with us. The design shows that God is with men, dwelling in us and living in us through Christ and the Spirit. By having a dome or the vaulted ceiling, many Orthodox churches have the impression that in the Kingdom of God, Christ "unites all things in himself, things in heaven and things on earth," ([[Ephesians]] 1:10) and that in him we are all "filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19) This dome [[symbolism]] is in contrast to pointed arches which point to God far up in the heavens.

===[[Book of Revelation]]===
A church is not constructed simply to be a meeting hall for men whose life exists solely within the bounds of this earth. The church building is patterned after the image of God's Kingdom in the Book of Revelation.
[[Image:Orthodox-Church-interior.jpg|right|thumb|Church interior]]

The Narthex-[[Narthex|vestibule]] symbolizes this world. Services such as those for [[baptism]] or [[marriage|wedding services]] start in the vestibule.

The [[Nave]] is the place of the assembled people of God. The faithful Christians on earth who already belong to the holy assembly enter into the eternal worship of God's Kingdom in the Church.

The [[Altar]] area stands for the Kingdom of God. The altar table is where Christ is enthroned, both as the Word of God in the Gospels and as the Lamb of God in the [[Eucharist]]ic sacrifice. Around the table are the angels and saints in the perpetual adoration inspired by the [[Holy Spirit]].

==External links==
* [[Wikipedia:Church]]
* [[Wikipedia:Chapel]]
* [http://www.ortodoksi.net/virtuaalikirkko/ Virtual Church]

[[Category:Churches|*]]
[[Category:Church architecture]]

[[ro:Biserică (locaș)]]

Church of the Holy Apostles (Constantinople)

2025-10-06T08:32:32Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Apostles.jpg|right|thumb|An icon of the Holy [[Apostles]], after whom the church is named.]][[Image:Holy_Apostles_Constantinople.jpg|right|thumb|Church of the Holy Apostles 536-550AD]]The '''Church of the Holy [[Apostles]]''' (Greek: Άγιοι Απόστολοι - Aghioi Apostoloi), also known as the Imperial Polyandreion, was a Christian [[basilica]] built in Constantinople (then the capital of the Byzantine Empire) in 550 A.D. It was second only to the Church of the Holy Wisdom ([[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]]) among the great [[church]]es of the Eastern Empire. When Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, the Holy Apostles briefly became the seat of the Ecumenical [[Patriarch]] of the Greek Orthodox Church. In 1461, however, it was taken over by the Ottomans and demolished to make way for a mosque.

==History==
The original Holy Apostles was dedicated in about 330 by [[Constantine the Great]], who made Constantinople the capital of the Roman Empire. The church was unfinished when Constantine died in 337, and it was brought to completion by his son and successor Constantius II, who buried his father's remains there. The church was dedicated to the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and it was the Emperor's intention to gather [[relics]] of all the Apostles in the church. However, only relics of Saint [[Apostle Andrew|Andrew]], Saint [[Apostle Luke|Luke]], and Saint [[Apostle Timothy|Timothy]] (the latter two apostles of the 70, not the twelve) were acquired, and in later centuries it came to be assumed that the church was dedicated to these three only.

Little is known of the appearance of this church except that it was cross-shaped. The historian [[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]] says that it was a tall building, with porticoes along the four sides, marble walls and a golden roof. In any event, by the reign of the Emperor [[Justinian the Great|Justinian I]] the church was no longer considered grand enough, and a new Church of the Holy Apostles was built on the same site. The historian Procopius attributes the rebuilding to Justinian, while the writer known as Pseudo-Codinus attributes it to the Empress [[Theodora (wife of Justinian)]]. The second Holy Apostles was consecrated on 28 June 550.

The new church was designed and built by the architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus in the form of a Greek [[cross]] with five domes: one above each arm of the cross and one above the central bay where the arms intersected. The western arm of the cross extended westward forming the atrium. The relics of [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] and the three saints were re-installed in the new church, and a mausoleum for Justinian and his family was built at the end of the northern arm.

For more than 700 years the Holy Apostles was the second-most important church in Constantinople, after the basilica of the Holy Wisdom ([[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]]). But whereas the Holy Wisdom was in the oldest part of the city, the Holy Apostles stood in the centre of the newer part of the much-expanded imperial capital, on the great thoroughfare called Mese or Centre Street, and was the busiest church in the city. Most emperors and many [[patriarch]]s and [[bishop]]s were buried in the church and their relics were [[veneration|venerated]] by the faithful for centuries.

The most treasured possession of the church were the supposed skulls of Saints Andrew, Luke, and Timothy, but the church also held relics of Saint [[John Chrysostom]] and other [[Church Fathers]], saints, and [[martyr]]s. The church also held what was believed to be part of the "Column of Flagellation," to which Jesus had been bound and flogged. Over the years the church acquired huge amounts of gold, silver, and gems donated by the faithful.

The church was renovated and probably enlarged in the 9th century by the Emperor Basil I. In the 10th century Constantine of Rhodes composed a Description of the building of the Apostles in verse, which he dedicated to Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The basilica was looted during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. The historian Nicetas Choniates records that the Crusaders plundered the imperial tombs and robbed them of gold and gems; not even Justinian's tomb was spared. Some of these treasures were carted off to Venice, where they can still be seen in St [[Apostle Mark|Mark]]'s Basilica. When Michael VIII Palaeologus recaptured the city from the Crusaders, he erected a statue of the [[Archangel Michael]] at the church to commemorate the event, and himself. The church was restored again by Andronicus II Palaeologus in the early 14th century, but thereafter fell into disrepair as the Byzantine Empire declined and Constantinople's population fell. The Florentine Cristoforo Buondelmonti saw the dilapidated church in 1420.

In 1453 Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. The Holy Wisdom was seized and turned into a mosque, and the Sultan Mehmed II ordered the Greek [[Patriarch]] [[Gennadius Scholarius]] to move to the Holy Apostles, which thus became the centre of the Greek Orthodox Church. But the area around the church was soon settled by Turks, and there was increasing hostility to such a large and centrally located building remaining in Christian hands. Gennadius therefore decided to move the Patriarchate to the Church of St Mary Pammakaristos in the main Christian part of the city, the [[Phanar]] district.

Rather than convert the Holy Apostles itself into a mosque, Mehmed decided to demolish it and build a mosque of comparable magnificence on the site. The result was the Fatih Cami (Mosque of the Conqueror), which still occupies the site and houses Mehmed's tomb. There is a limited visual record of the Holy Apostles, but St Mark's Basilica in Venice is partly modelled on it. The 12th century writer Nicholas Mesarites has left a description of the church (see external link), of which only parts survive.

== See also ==
* [[Church of Constantinople]]

==Further reading==
* Glanville Downey. ''"Nikolaos Mesarites: Description of the Church of the Holy Apostles at Constantinople."'' '''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society.''' New Series, Vol. 47, No. 6 (1957), pp. 855-924.

==Source==
*[[w:Church of the Holy Apostles|''Church of the Holy Apostles'' at Wikipedia]]

==External links==
* [http://homepage.mac.com/paulstephenson/trans/mesarites.html Nicholas Mesarites, Ekphrasis on the Church of the Holy Apostles]

[[Category:Churches|Holy Apostles]]
[[Category:Churches in Turkey|Holy Apostles]]

[[ro:Biserica Sfinților Apostoli (Constantinopol)]]

Charitina of Lithuania

2025-10-05T20:27:15Z

Inistea: ro

The holy and right-believing Princess '''Charitina''' (d. 1281) is a [[saint]] of the 13th century who was born into a royal family but became a nun.

Charitina was born into a noble Lithuanian family in the mid-thirteenth century. Oppressive paganism and civil strife forced her to leave her homeland. She sought refuge in Russia, making her way to [[Novgorod]]. Charitina entered the [[Convent]] of Sts. [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], which had been founded in the twelfth century. Some sources indicate that she was betrothed to the Russian prince Theodore but relinquished her royal privileges when she became a [[nun]]. She lived a strict, [[ascetic]] life and became [[Abbess]] of the convent. She reposed in the year 1281 and came to be revered as a saint of God. Her [[relics]] remained at Sts. Peter and Paul [[church]] until the Russian Revolution.

St. Charitina is commemorated on [[October 5]]. She should not be confused with [[Charitina of Rome|Charitina of Amisus]] (or of Rome), also commemorated on [[October 5]], but who was martyred in the year 304.

==Sources and External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102879 St. Charitina the Princess of Lithuania] (from [[OCA]])

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category: Lithuanian Saints]]
[[Category:13th-century saints]]

[[ro:Haritina a Lituaniei]]

Symeon (disambiguation)

2025-03-10T20:56:07Z

Inistea: ro

'''''Symeon''''' means ''one who hears'' or ''God hears''.

There are several saints named Symeon or Simeon, including the following:

*'''[[Simeon the God-receiver]]''' was a [[prophet]] who was present when [[Jesus]] was brought into the temple as an infant (celebrated as the feast of the [[Presentation]]), and is credited with the ''Prayer of St. Simeon'' or ''Nunc Dimittis''. ([[February 3]])
*'''[[Apostle Symeon]]''' was one of the [[Apostles#The Seventy|Seventy Apostles]]. ([[April 27]])
*'''[[Symeon the Stylite]]''' (c. 390-459) was the first saint to live [[ascetic]]ally on a pillar, or ''style''. ([[September 1]])
*Symeon of Emesa, Fool-for-Christ (sixth century) ([[July 21]])
*'''[[Symeon the New Theologian]]''' (949–1022) is well-known for his theological works. ([[March 12]] or [[October 12]])
*'''Simeon Metaphrastes ("the Translator")''' (tenth century) ([[November 9]])
*'''[[Simeon the Myrrh-flowing]]''' (c. 1109-1199) was a Serbian monarch (Stefan Nemanja) and the father of St. [[Sava of Serbia]]. ([[February 13]])
*Venerable '''Simeon''' ([[February 1]], with Venerable David)
*'''Simeon''', Bishop of Novgorod ([[February 10]])
*Venerable '''Simeon''' ([[April 9]])
*Hieromartyr '''Simeon''', Bishop in Persia ([[April 17]])
*Saint '''Simeon''' the Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal of the Kiev Near Caves ([[May 10]])
*New-Martyr [[Symeon I of Trebizond]] ([[August 14]])
*New-Martyr '''Simeon''' of Samokov ([[August 21]])
*Righteous '''Simeon''', Wonder-worker of Verkhoturye ([[December 18]] and [[September 12]])

There are also other persons with this name:
*Simeon, son of Jacob and Leah, brother to Joseph
*[[Simeon of Antioch|Simeon I]], Patriarch of Antioch (834-840)
*[[Simeon II of Antioch|Simeon II]], Patriarch of Antioch (1245-1268)
*Fr. '''[[Simeon Michiro Mii]]''' (1858-1940)

{{disambig}}
[[Category:Saints]]

[[ro:Simeon]]

Piama of Egypt

2025-03-03T23:02:56Z

Inistea: ro

The holy and glorious Virgin '''Piama of Egypt''' (also '''Amma Piamun''' or '''Piamon''') lived during the fourth century near Alexandria, Egypt. Her [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[March 3]].

==Life==
The Virgin Piama was born and lived in the vicinity of Alexandria, Egypt. She was a follower of [[Christ]] who for His sake refused to marry and led an [[asceticism|ascetic]] life in the home of her mother, as in a [[hermitage]]. She took only a little food at the end of each day and spent her time in [[prayer]] and meditation. After prayer she spun flax and practiced needlework. St. Piama was granted the gift of discernment.

As it happened, a stronger village threatened to invade hers, and a crowd of men carrying spears and pointed sticks set out for her village, intent on destroying the village in their greed to divert water to their own fields when the Nile overflowed its banks. But an [[angel]] of the Lord appeared to Piama and told her of their wicked intent. This she reported to the village elders. The terrified elders fell on their knees before Piama and implored her to go to the neighboring people and dissuade them from their evil purpose.

Since she had shunned contact with people for a long time, Piama did not go to confront them. Instead, she went back to her own house and stood all night in prayer, hardly prostrating herself at all. As the morning dawned, the invaders stood transfixed, like columns of stone, unable to move. As it was revealed to them that they had been brought to a halt through the prayers of the servant of Christ, Piama, they made peace with her village, saying, "Thanks be to God and the prayers of Piama that we were prevented from doing you any harm."

The Virgin Piama peacefully fell asleep in the Lord in the year 337.

==Sources==
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=100645 OCA: Virginmartyr Piama]
* [http://www.touregypt.net/documents/lausiac7.htm#Chapter%20XXXVII Chapter XXXVII: Amma Piamun] from ''De Vitis Patrum'', Book VIII by Palladius, Bishop of Helenopolis, translated by Gentianus Hervetus.
*[http://www.transfigcathedral.org/faith/Bulgakov/0101.pdf Venable Virgin Piama]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Egyptian Saints]]

[[ro:Piamun din Egipt]]

Laurence of Canterbury

2025-02-03T17:31:19Z

Inistea: ro

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Laurence of Canterbury''' (also ''Lawrence'') was the second [[Archbishop]] of Canterbury, succeeding St. [[Augustine of Canterbury]] in 604. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[February 2]] or [[February 3|3]].

==Life==
Born ''Laurentius'', nothing is known of the childhood of St. Laurence. His date of birth is not known. According to St. [[Bede]], Laurence was among the first [[missionary|missionaries]] to the Anglo-Saxons. He arrived in a party of [[missionary|missionaries]] with St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597, on the island of Thanet. Among their early [[conversion]]s to Christianity was King Ethelbert of Kent. After Augustine was consecrated bishop in Arles, Laurence was sent by Augustine to report to Pope [[Gregory the Great]] of their successes.

In 601, Laurence returned with Mellitus, who became [[Bishop]] of London, and others with a [[pallium]] for Augustine and a collection of religious objects. Augustine probably [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Laurence bishop a short time before he died, about 604, after which Laurence succeeded to the [[See]] of Canterbury. King Ethelbert died in 616 and was succeeded by his son Eadbald, who began a return of the populace to the heathen faith. This prompted many of the missionaries to flee to Gaul. Tradition relates that about 617-618 Laurence was among those who were giving up, but was visited by St. [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] in a vision. Peter berated Laurence and whipped him. The next day Laurence visited Eadbald and showed him the marks from the whipping, thus effecting Eadbald's conversion to Christianity.

Laurence died on February 3, 619, and was buried with St. Augustine in St. Peter's Church, which was later dedicated as the St. Augustine Abbey Church.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=St. [[Augustine of Canterbury|Augustine]]|
title=[[Archbishop of Canterbury]]|
years=604-619|
after=[[Mellitus of Canterbury|Mellitus]]}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
*[[w:Laurence_of_Canterbury]]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09090a.htm Laurence of Canterbury]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:7th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Canterbury]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Saints of the British Isles]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]

[[ro:Laurențiu de Canterbury]]

Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania

2025-01-25T14:15:25Z

Inistea:

[[Image:AnastasiosOfAlbania.jpg|right|frame|Abp. Anastasios of Albania]]
His Beatitude '''Anastasios (Yannoulatos), Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania''' (born 1929 - d. [[January 25]] 2025) was [[primate]] of the [[Church of Albania]]. Besides being a prolific writer, Anastasios is known for his [[missionary]] initiatives in East Africa and critical leadership in the resurrection of the Albanian church in the 20th century after it was decimated by the Communist regime.

==Life==
Abp. Anastasios was born Anastasios Yannoulatos, (Albanian: Anastas Janullatos; Greek: Αναστάσιος Γιαννουλάτος), on [[November 4]], 1929 in Piraeus, Greece. He entered the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 1947 and graduated in 1951 with a diploma with highest honors in Theology. After graduation he served for two years with the Greek army.

Following his national service and his recognizing a desire to be part of the spirit renewal on-going in Greece, Anastasios joined a religious brotherhood [[Brotherhood of Theologians Zoe|ZOE]] where he became a leader in making the Orthodox faith real in student movements and teenage camps. Later, he participated in the international Orthodox youth movement Syndesmos, becoming its general secretary from 1958 to 1961 and then vice-president from 1964 to 1978. In 1960, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]], beginning his career in the [[Holy Orders]].

After receiving his diaconate, Dn. Anastasios formed the inter-Orthodox mission center "Porefthentes" with the aim of educating the church in the area of [[missions]]. On [[May 24]], 1964, Dn. Anastasios was ordained a [[priest]] and left for East Africa to celebrate his first [[Divine Liturgy|liturgy]] in [[Archdiocese of Kampala and All Uganda|Uganda]]. However, soon Fr. Anastasios came down with malaria and had to return to Greece. With the doctors recommending his not returning to Africa, Fr. Anastasios decided to influence the church about the work of [[mission]] through the academic world.

In preparation, Fr. Anastasios turned to postgraduate studies in history of religion including ethnology, science of religions, missiology and African studies. In this pursuit, he studied at universities in Hamburg and Marburg, with research work at the Makerere University in Uganda to collect material for his doctoral thesis "The Spirit Mbandwa and the Framework of Their Cults: A Research of Aspects of African Religion".

In 1968, the efforts of Fr. Anastasios and his Porefthentes staff bore fruit in the Bureau of External Missions within the [[Apostoliki Diakonia]] of the [[Church of Greece]], the official publishing house and [[missionary]] arm of the Church of Greece that was active in many fields, including Orthodox mission.

=== Bishop of Androusa ===

In 1972, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] the [[Titular bishop|titular Bishop]] of Androussa in his position as general director of [[Apostoliki Diakonia]]. Also in 1972, Bp. Anastasios was elected by the University of Athens professor of History of Religions having established a center for [[missionary]] studies during 1971 to 1976 at the university.

Furthering his work in missions, Bp. Anastasios, with Fr. Anthony Romeos, founded a [[monastery]] of [[nun]]s, the Convent of St. [[John the Forerunner]], in Kareas, Greece, that would participate in [[missionary]] work throughout the world.

In 1980, Bp. Anastasios was asked by Patriarch [[Nicholas VI of Alexandria|Nicholas]] of the [[Church of Alexandria]] to take on reinvigorating the Archdiocese of East Africa. In addition to his responsibilities at the University of Athens and with the Apostoliki Diakonia, Bp. Anastasios consented. As acting archbishop during this transitional period, Abp. Anastasios worked to create a strong Orthodox community through training and establishing indigenous leaders. In 1982, he re-opened the [[Orthodox Patriarchal Ecclesiastical School of Makarios III|Orthodox seminary]] in Nairobi that Abp. [[Makarios III (Mouskos) of Cyprus|Makarios III of Cyprus]] had founded ten years before but remained incomplete because of political instability in Cyprus. Over the next ten years Abp. Anastasios ordained sixty two indigenous priests and deacons and forty-two [[reader]]s and catechists from the graduates of the [[seminary]]. These [[clergy]] provided the foundation for the renewal of the church in East Africa. By the time he departed Africa in 1991, he left a legacy through his efforts to assimilate with the indigenous Christians and empower them to embrace Orthodoxy as their own.

=== Archbishop of Albania ===

In 1991, following the fall of the communist government of Albania and the ensuing political changes, Abp. Anastasios was appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]] to be the Patriarchal [[Exarch]] for the Albanian Church with the mandate to re-establish the Autocephalous [[Church of Albania]] without regard to the ethnic origin of its people. He was named Archbishop of Tirana on [[June 24]], 1992 and [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[August 2]], 1992. For this challenge, Abp. Anastasios drew on his academic work and field accomplishments in East Africa to establish the structure to train local leaders. Under his leadership, the church opened a seminary with more than eighty students and within two years increased the Albanian [[clergy]] from eleven to fifty six.

His Beatitude ANASTASIOS, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, Primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, entered into eternal rest this friday, January 25, 2025, at the age of 95, at the "EVANGELISMOS" hospital in Athens.

==See also==
* [[Missionary]]
* [[Missiology]]

==Bibliography==
* ''[https://svspress.com/facing-the-world/ Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns]''. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press: Crestwood, New York, 2003.
* ''[https://svspress.com/in-albania-cross-and-resurrection/ In Albania: Cross and Ressurrection]''. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press: Crestwood, New York, 2016.
*Luke Veronis, ''[https://duanemiller.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/luke-alexander-veronis-missionaries-monks-martyrs-making-disciples-of-all-nations.pdf Missionaries, Monks, and Martyrs: Making Disciples of All Nations]'', Minneapolis, MN, Light & Life Publishing Company, 1994

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxalbania.org/English/Archbishop/ArchbishopFrm.htm Official biography] from the Church of Albania website
*[http://religion.wikia.com/wiki/Anastasios_Yannoulatos Anastasios Yannoulatos]

==External links==
*[https://missions.hchc.edu/missions/articles/articles/a-candle-before-the-icon-archbishop-anastasios "A Candle Before the Icon: Archbishop Anastasios"] by Jim Forest
*[http://www.albanianorthodox.com Albanian Orthodox Library]
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/albania/current.htm#anastasios_arch_tirana Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute
*[http://www.voskrese.info/spl/XanastasyAl.html Anastasios (Yannoulatos), Archbishop of Albania] at the St. Pachomius Library
*[[w:Archbishop Anastasios of Albania|''Archbishop Anastasios of Albania'' at Wikipedia]]
*[http://rulers.org/relig.html#orthodox_churches Orthodox Church of Albania]

{{start box}}
{{succession
| before = ?
| title = Bishop of Androusa
| years = 1972–1992
| after = Theoktistos (Kloukinas)
}}
{{succession
| before = Damian (Kokoneshi)
| title = Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania
| years = 1992–2025
| after = —}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Archbishops of Albania]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Androussa]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tirana]]
[[Category:Bishops of Irinoupolis]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]
[[Category:Modern Writers]]

[[ro:Anastasie (Yannoulatos) al Albaniei]]

Stephen I of Rome

2024-12-12T15:44:22Z

Inistea: ro

The hieromartyr '''Stephen I of Rome''' was the Bishop of Rome from 254 to 257. Stephen took a conciliatory approach to re-baptism of those who were [[baptism|baptized]] by splinter groups and to restoration of repentant [[bishop]]s [[deposition|deposed]] for unfaithfulness during the persecutions. His [[feast day]] is [[August 2]].

==Life==
Stephen was a Roman of Greek ancestry who served as [[archdeacon]] to Bp. Lucius. Following the Decian persecutions of 250-251 Stephen zealously contended against the [[heresy]] of Novatus, particularly against Marcian, the bishop of Arles, who denied [[penance]] and communion even to those who repented.

Stephen became Bishop of Rome in 254 following the repose of Bp. Lucius who had named Stephen as his successor. In contradiction to the position of Cyprian of Carthage, Stephen held that [[conversion|converts]] to Orthodoxy who had been baptized by splinter sects did not need to be re-baptized, a position that later gained broad acceptance.

Emperor Valerian began new persecutions of Christians that soon involved Bp. Stephen. Tradition relates that he died by beheading on August 2, 257. In one version he was beheaded while he was sitting in the pontifical throne, while another relates that Stephen was beheaded with a sword in the temple of Mars.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Lucius I|
title=[[List of Popes of Rome|Bishop of Rome]]|
years=254—257|
after=[[Sixtus II of Rome|Sixtus II]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia:Pope_Stephen_I]]
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk/ortpopes.htm St. Stephen I (+ 257)]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102187 OCA: Hieromartyr Stephen the Pope of Rome]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Popes of Rome]]
[[Category:3rd-century bishops]]
[[Category:3rd-century saints]]

[[ro:Ștefan I al Romei]]

Joseph of Vatopedi

2024-12-11T12:15:24Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:José de Vatopedi.jpg|thumb|right| Elder Joseph of Vatopedi]]
Elder '''Joseph of Vatopedi''' (gr: Ιωσήφ ο Βατοπαιδινός; 1921-2009) a [[disciple]] of Saint [[Joseph the Hesychast]], and was a noted [[monasticism|monastic]] of twentieth century [[Mount Athos]]. He has been regarded as one of the few remaining true Athonite elders before his repose.
{{stub}}
==Life==
The Elder was born on [[July 1]], 1921. He came to Mount Athos in 1946 from Cyprus, to the Skete of St. Anne where he joined Elder Joseph the Hesychast. As a member of the Brotherhood of the Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Joseph of Vatopedi lived at the [[cell]] of the [[Annunciation]] at New Skete and served at the Brotherhood's Church of the Sacred Forerunner [[John the Forerunner|John the Baptist]].

Elder Joseph of Vatopedi remained at the [[skete]] after the reposed of Elder Joseph the Hesychast in 1959. Though he was the Elder of his Brotherhood, he did not consider himself above everyone and worked just as hard as they did. Elder Joseph remained at the skete until 1987. After Pascha, he moved to the Monastery of Vatopaidi where he remained until his repose on July 1, 2009.

Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi noted Elder Joseph of Vatopedi as a man of God whose mind was so fortified in God that he did not speak about anything which is of this world.[http://www.manastir-lepavina.org/vijest_en.php?id=3563]

==Sources==
*[http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/07/blessed-elder-joseph-of-vatopaidi-his.html Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopedi: His 63 Year Monastic Life on Mount Athos in Pictures (1946-2009)]
*[http://www.impantokratoros.gr/8D2A12EF.print.en.aspx The Funeral of Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopedi.]

[[Category: Monastics]]

[[pt:José de Vatopedi]]
[[ro:Iosif Vatopedinul]]

Dionysius I of Constantinople

2024-11-23T21:00:44Z

Inistea: ro

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Dionysius I''' was the Patriarch of Constantinople during the late fifteenth century after [[Fall of Constantinople|Constantinople had fallen]] to the Ottoman Turks. He was patriarch during two periods: from 1467 to 1471 and then from 1488 to 1490. He is commemorated on [[November 23]].

==Life==
The future [[patriarch]] was born in Dimitsana in the Peloponnese. The date of his birth is not known. Having chosen a [[monasticism|monastic]] life, he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] at the Magganon Monastery in Constantinople, under the spiritual guidance of [[Mark of Ephesus|Mark the Eugenikos]], the future [[metropolitan]] of Ephesus and saint. Dionysius was [[ordination|ordained]] by St. Mark into the [[diaconate]] and the [[priest]]hood.

After the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks, Dionysius was held captive by the Turks in Adrianoupolis, but was liberated through the efforts of a noble by the name of Kyritzis. After obtaining his freedom, Dionysius was consecrated to the episcopate and assigned as Metropolitan of Philippoupolis by Patriarch [[Gennadius Scholarius|Gennadius II Scholarius]].

In January 1467, through the influence of the step-mother of Sultan Mehmed II, a Christian named Mara Brankovic, he became Patriarch of Constantinople, a position he held until 1471.

Dionysius came under accusation that he had renounced his Christian faith and accepted circumcision during his captivity in Adrianoupolis. That this was false he proved before a panel of [[bishop|hierarchs]] and [[laity|laymen]] "by showing his flesh to all the people". Having proven his point, Dionysius left the patriarchate in 1471 and entered the Monastery of Eikosifinissa in Drama.

In 1488, Dionysius was called back to become patriarch again, the position he continued to hold until he retired again in 1490. He then returned to the Monastery of Eikosifinissa where he remained until his repose in 1492.

Dionysius has been recognized as a saint and is remembered on November 23.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Philippoupolis|
years=14xx-1467|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Symeon I of Trebizond |Symeon I]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=1467-1471|
after=[[Symeon I of Trebizond |Symeon I]]}}
{{succession|
before=Nifon II|
title=Patriarch of Constantinople|
years=1488-1490|
after=[[Maximus IV of Constantinople|Maximus IV]]}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=en&id=167 EP-Patr: Dionysios I]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:15th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Constantinople]]

[[ro:Dionisie I al Constantinopolului]]

Mamas of Caesarea

2024-09-03T13:17:58Z

Inistea: ro

{{cleanup|standardization}}
[[Image:Mamas_lion.jpg|right|thumb|St Mamas, the lamb and the lion: [[icon]] in the [[church]] at Morphou]] Saint '''Mamas of Caesarea''' (sometimes: '''Mammas''', '''Mammes''', or '''Mammet''') was [[martyr]]ed c. 275 at the age of 15 in Cappadocia. He preached Christianity during his teenage years, and a lion from the fields is said to have remained with him as companion. In [[iconography]], his attribute is the lion. He is commemorated by the Church, with his parents martyrs Theodotus and Rufinaon, on [[September 2]]. (His [[feast day]] is August 17 in the [[Roman Catholic]] [[calendar]].)

In [[Church of Cyprus|Cyprus]] Saint Mamas is popularly known as a poor [[hermit]] who lived in a cave near the Cypriot town of Morphou (Guzelyurt). When the local authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him, but on the way back to town he saw a lion attacking a lamb. He then escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back, and in that way came to town. His bravery earned him an exemption from the tax.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 3) [http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=102459]
:Your holy martyr Mamas, O Lord,
:Through his suffering has received an incorruptible crown from You, our God.
:For having Your strength, he laid low low his adversaries,
:And shattered the powerless boldness of demons.
:Through his intercessions, save our souls!

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 3)
:Holy Mamas,
:Lead your people your as a flock to life-giving pastures
:With the staff God has given you;
:Crush the invisible and fierce enemies beneath the feet of those who honor you.
:For all of those who are in danger have received you as their fervent intercessor.

==External links==
* [[w:Mammes of Caesarea|Mammes of Caesarea]] - wikipedia
* http://www.nostos.com/church/Mamas.htm
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102459 Martyr Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia] - [[OCA]] website.
* [http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=190 Mammas the Martyr] - [[GOARCH]] website.

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]]
[[Category:3rd-century saints]]

[[ro:Mamant]]

Category:OrthodoxWiki Templates

2024-09-02T13:02:49Z

Inistea:

This category is for OrthodoxWiki Templates. See [[OrthodoxWiki:Templates]] for more information.
[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]

[[pt:Categoria:Predefinições da OrthodoxWiki]]
[[ro:Categorie:Formate OrthodoxWiki]]

Kafsokalyvia Skete (Athos)

2024-08-08T10:20:06Z

Inistea: ro

{{stub}}
The '''Kafsokalyvia Skete''', a dependency of the [[Great Lavra (Athos)|Great Lavra]], is located about three hour's travel away from the Great Lavra. The Kafsokalyvia skete was founded by the Venerable Akakios the Younger. He is remembered on [[April 12]].

The main [[temple]] (Kiriakon) of the [[skete]] was built in 1745 and is dedicated to the [[Holy Trinity]]. The skete has thirty five [[monk]]s who live in a like number of [[cell]]s ([[Monastic dwellings (Athos)|kellion]]) and huts ([[Monastic dwellings (Athos)|kalyvae]]}. Elder Porphyrios (Bairaktaris), who was noted for his spiritual discernment, served for many years at the skete, living in the Cell of St. George, before his repose in 1991.

The library of the skete holds twenty three codices (manuscript books) and several hundred prints.

==Sources==
*[http://www.mountathosinfos.gr/pages/skites/triados.en.html Skiti Agias Triados - Kafsokalyvia]
*[http://sainteliaschurch.org/files/bulletin041209.pdf St Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church Bulletin, April 12, 2009]
*[[wikipedia: Porphyrios_Bairaktaris]]

[[Category: Monasteries]]
[[Category: Greek Monasteries]]
[[Category: Athonite Monasteries]]

[[ro:Schitul Kavsokalivia]]

Daniel Katounakiotis

2024-08-06T15:17:35Z

Inistea: img

[[File:Danielkatounakia.jpg|thumb|right|St Daniel Katounakiotis]]
Saint '''Daniel Katounakiotis''', known in the world as Dimitrios Dimitriadis, was a [[monk]], the founder of Danielaioi brotherhood at [[Mount Athos]]. Commemorated on [[september 7]].

==Life==
Born in 1846 in a family of a armourer in Smyrna, he was the youngest child in the family and was characterized by outstanding abilities. In his teenage years Dimitrios knew by heart almost all Philokalia. At the island of Paros, he met Saint [[Arsenius of Paros]] who blessed Dimitrios to go to [[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon monastery at Mt. Athos]].

In St. Panteleimon [[monastery]], he was [[tonsure]]d a monk with the name of Daniel. Later he lived in [[Vatopedi Monastery (Athos)|Vatopaidi monastery]]. For 10 years he suffered with nephritis and on [[August 31]], when the Vatopaidi monastery celebrated the feast of Holy Belt of the Mother of God, he was suddenly healed. After 5 years in Vatopaidi he moved to Katounakia where lived alone for 3.5 years. Starting from 1883, other monks started to settle there, so that Danielaioi brotherhood was formed. Elder Daniel was offered to be a [[bishop]] but considered himself to be unworthy of it.

==Gift of spiritual counsel and persuasion==
Elder Daniel had a gift of spiritual counsel and consolation in sorrows. He guarded or cured from [[prelest]] many monks and lay persons. He was in spiritual friendship with St. [[Nectarios of Pentapolis]]. Also he was in correspondence with [[Philotheos (Zervakos) of Paros]] and other monks from the monastery of Longovarda at the island of Paros. Elder Daniel guarded them from the [[heresy]] of theologian A. Makrakis. About 200 letters to the abbess Theodosia from the monastery at the island of Tinos and 70 other writings of elder Daniel are available until now.

Kostis Marmaras, a lay person, was interested in spiritualism. He wanted to know whether it comes from the electric forces of from the spiritual forces. Then he found out that it was from the spirit and in his opinion, from the Holy Spirit. So Kostis practiced spiritualism for 30 years, reading thoughts, speaking with "saints", "spirits of reposed people" etc. After that he found a book of elder Daniel against spiritualism and started to doubt about holiness of the participating spirit. He started to write letters to the elder asking about it. The elder succeeded in convincing Kostis that spiritualism was a delusion. But it took a very long time for Kostis to be healed completely. When Kostis started to read the prayers of exorcism of St. Basil the Great, the demons beat him unmercifully in the night. Then he started to see demonic visions and thought that it comes from grace. In the end, Kostis managed to get out of the net of demonic tricks, but that happened only with help of Divinely wise elder Daniel.

Fr. Callistratus in the end of his life fell into prelest. During the Divine service, he started trembling and was thinking that this is an action of grace. But he was not absolutely certain and decided to write to elder Daniel. The elder replied with an extensive letter "On noetic prayer. Letter of elder Daniel to Callistratus" (1916, In: "Angelic Living"). Elder Daniel analyses in detail the actions of grace and the trembling that comes from God and the one that comes from the evil side. He writes that no one of the Saints was trembling as Fr. Callistratus. He also tells about another similar case of trembling that was coming from the evil forces with monk Alipius who did not notice that was praying with unnoticeable vainglory. And the elder showed with convincing arguments that the trembling for Fr. Callistratus was coming from the same force. In a reply, Fr. Callistratus is amazed at the action of the elder Daniel's letter, the meekness of the elder and the way how he showed the delusion.

In a letter "Reply of monk Daniel to Markianus, a monk of Iveron skete, about rejection of dreams" (1918, In: "Angelic Living"), elder Daniel writes about a man of great learning by the name of Nicolaus who thought of himself that he had received a gift of unceasing heart prayer from the icon of the [[Mother of God]] and then started to see visions. He asked God to receive the same visions as the Prophets of the Old Testament. Then the Devil offered him many other heretic superstitions: at the feast day of [[Spyridon of Trimythous|St. Spyridon]], this "saint" appeared in front of Nicolaus and told him to "sacrifice" his hand to Christ and to burn it with candle; the man even took baptism for the second time from the protestants because the demons told him that only protestants keep proper baptism from the times of Apostles. When elder Daniel asked whether this man confessed everything, he replied that "Christ" told him that it is not necessary and there are no true confessors now. After listening for 6 hours about different delusions, it took elder Daniel 2 hours to bring that person to reason based on many places in the Divine Scriptures and reasonable arguments. The man was convinced and started to resist the visions, though the traces of delusion were seen to the end of his life.

==Repose==

In September of 1929, the elder fell ill with a cold. He was foreboding his death and asked to take the Holy Communion. On [[September 8]] (21), 1929, on the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, after the Divine Liturgy and the Sacrament of Anointment of the Sick, elder Daniel reposed.

==Works==
*᾿Αϒϒελικὸς Βίος. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1987 {{Ru icon}} Даниил Катунакский. Ангельское житие. М., 2005
*Μοναχικὰ ἐντρυφήματα. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1982
*Πατρικα Ϫιδαχαί. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1989. Vol. 3
*Κατὰ αἱρητικῆς δοξασίας ὑπὸ Μακράκη. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1984
*᾿Εξ ἐρήμου Ϫιατυπώσεις. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1985. Vol. 5.

==Source==
*{{Ru icon}} [http://www.pravenc.ru/text/171300.html Orthodox Encyclopedia. Daniel Katounakiotis.]
*{{Ru icon}} Archimandrite Cherubim (Karambelas). "Contemporary ascetics of Mount Athos".
*{{Ru icon}} Elder Daniel Katounakiotis. "Angelic living".
*[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/kinds-of-spiritual-delusion/134-false-visions/653-elder-daniel-about-the-visions Answer of monk Daniel to Marcian, a monk of the Iveron skete, on rejection of dreams]
[[Category:Athonite Fathers]]
[[Category:Elders]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]

[[pt:Daniel de Katounakia]]
[[ro:Daniil Katunakiotul]]

Daniel Katounakiotis

2024-08-06T15:14:47Z

Inistea: ro

Saint '''Daniel Katounakiotis''', known in the world as Dimitrios Dimitriadis, was a [[monk]], the founder of Danielaioi brotherhood at [[Mount Athos]]. Commemorated on [[september 9]].

==Life==
Born in 1846 in a family of a armourer in Smyrna, he was the youngest child in the family and was characterized by outstanding abilities. In his teenage years Dimitrios knew by heart almost all Philokalia. At the island of Paros, he met Saint [[Arsenius of Paros]] who blessed Dimitrios to go to [[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon monastery at Mt. Athos]].

In St. Panteleimon [[monastery]], he was [[tonsure]]d a monk with the name of Daniel. Later he lived in [[Vatopedi Monastery (Athos)|Vatopaidi monastery]]. For 10 years he suffered with nephritis and on [[August 31]], when the Vatopaidi monastery celebrated the feast of Holy Belt of the Mother of God, he was suddenly healed. After 5 years in Vatopaidi he moved to Katounakia where lived alone for 3.5 years. Starting from 1883, other monks started to settle there, so that Danielaioi brotherhood was formed. Elder Daniel was offered to be a [[bishop]] but considered himself to be unworthy of it.

==Gift of spiritual counsel and persuasion==
Elder Daniel had a gift of spiritual counsel and consolation in sorrows. He guarded or cured from [[prelest]] many monks and lay persons. He was in spiritual friendship with St. [[Nectarios of Pentapolis]]. Also he was in correspondence with [[Philotheos (Zervakos) of Paros]] and other monks from the monastery of Longovarda at the island of Paros. Elder Daniel guarded them from the [[heresy]] of theologian A. Makrakis. About 200 letters to the abbess Theodosia from the monastery at the island of Tinos and 70 other writings of elder Daniel are available until now.

Kostis Marmaras, a lay person, was interested in spiritualism. He wanted to know whether it comes from the electric forces of from the spiritual forces. Then he found out that it was from the spirit and in his opinion, from the Holy Spirit. So Kostis practiced spiritualism for 30 years, reading thoughts, speaking with "saints", "spirits of reposed people" etc. After that he found a book of elder Daniel against spiritualism and started to doubt about holiness of the participating spirit. He started to write letters to the elder asking about it. The elder succeeded in convincing Kostis that spiritualism was a delusion. But it took a very long time for Kostis to be healed completely. When Kostis started to read the prayers of exorcism of St. Basil the Great, the demons beat him unmercifully in the night. Then he started to see demonic visions and thought that it comes from grace. In the end, Kostis managed to get out of the net of demonic tricks, but that happened only with help of Divinely wise elder Daniel.

Fr. Callistratus in the end of his life fell into prelest. During the Divine service, he started trembling and was thinking that this is an action of grace. But he was not absolutely certain and decided to write to elder Daniel. The elder replied with an extensive letter "On noetic prayer. Letter of elder Daniel to Callistratus" (1916, In: "Angelic Living"). Elder Daniel analyses in detail the actions of grace and the trembling that comes from God and the one that comes from the evil side. He writes that no one of the Saints was trembling as Fr. Callistratus. He also tells about another similar case of trembling that was coming from the evil forces with monk Alipius who did not notice that was praying with unnoticeable vainglory. And the elder showed with convincing arguments that the trembling for Fr. Callistratus was coming from the same force. In a reply, Fr. Callistratus is amazed at the action of the elder Daniel's letter, the meekness of the elder and the way how he showed the delusion.

In a letter "Reply of monk Daniel to Markianus, a monk of Iveron skete, about rejection of dreams" (1918, In: "Angelic Living"), elder Daniel writes about a man of great learning by the name of Nicolaus who thought of himself that he had received a gift of unceasing heart prayer from the icon of the [[Mother of God]] and then started to see visions. He asked God to receive the same visions as the Prophets of the Old Testament. Then the Devil offered him many other heretic superstitions: at the feast day of [[Spyridon of Trimythous|St. Spyridon]], this "saint" appeared in front of Nicolaus and told him to "sacrifice" his hand to Christ and to burn it with candle; the man even took baptism for the second time from the protestants because the demons told him that only protestants keep proper baptism from the times of Apostles. When elder Daniel asked whether this man confessed everything, he replied that "Christ" told him that it is not necessary and there are no true confessors now. After listening for 6 hours about different delusions, it took elder Daniel 2 hours to bring that person to reason based on many places in the Divine Scriptures and reasonable arguments. The man was convinced and started to resist the visions, though the traces of delusion were seen to the end of his life.

==Repose==

In September of 1929, the elder fell ill with a cold. He was foreboding his death and asked to take the Holy Communion. On [[September 8]] (21), 1929, on the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, after the Divine Liturgy and the Sacrament of Anointment of the Sick, elder Daniel reposed.

==Works==
*᾿Αϒϒελικὸς Βίος. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1987 {{Ru icon}} Даниил Катунакский. Ангельское житие. М., 2005
*Μοναχικὰ ἐντρυφήματα. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1982
*Πατρικα Ϫιδαχαί. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1989. Vol. 3
*Κατὰ αἱρητικῆς δοξασίας ὑπὸ Μακράκη. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1984
*᾿Εξ ἐρήμου Ϫιατυπώσεις. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1985. Vol. 5.

==Source==
*{{Ru icon}} [http://www.pravenc.ru/text/171300.html Orthodox Encyclopedia. Daniel Katounakiotis.]
*{{Ru icon}} Archimandrite Cherubim (Karambelas). "Contemporary ascetics of Mount Athos".
*{{Ru icon}} Elder Daniel Katounakiotis. "Angelic living".
*[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/kinds-of-spiritual-delusion/134-false-visions/653-elder-daniel-about-the-visions Answer of monk Daniel to Marcian, a monk of the Iveron skete, on rejection of dreams]
[[Category:Athonite Fathers]]
[[Category:Elders]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]

[[pt:Daniel de Katounakia]]
[[ro:Daniil Katunakiotul]]

Baptism of Rus'

2024-06-25T09:32:02Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Baptism of Rus'.jpg|thumb|right|Baptism of Rus'.]]
The '''Baptism of Rus'''' refers to the seminal event of the mass [[baptize|baptism]] of the residents of Kiev in 988 as Grand Prince [[Vladimir of Kiev|Vladimir]] accepted Orthodox Christianity as the religion of his lands. The event, as recorded in the ''Primary Chronicles'', has been considered the turn point for the introduction of Christianity among the eastern Slavs.

==History==
Introduction of Christianity into the lands of the Slavs began at least a century before the great event in Kiev. Traditionally, the missionary brothers Ss [[Cyril and Methodius]] are credited with bringing the eastern form of Christianity to the Slavs, in their own language, in the 860s, although the southern Slavs had already known Christianity. Among the eastern Slavs, whose ruling princes, the Rus, were descended from the Varangian (Norse) chieftains/traders, introduction of Christianity appears to have occurred in several stages.

As early as 867, Patr. Photius of Constantinople advised the other Orthodox [[patriarch]]s that members of the Rus, who had been baptized by his [[bishop]]s, had become enthusiastic Christians. As the ''[[Primary Chronicle]]'' and other sources noted the Rus of the ninth century remained staunch [[pagan]]s, and the outcome of the missionary efforts of Photius’ bishops is not clear. Constantine VII and later Byzantine historians, including John Skylitzes and John Zonaras, continued to maintain a story of Christianization of the Rus, including enumeration of Orthodox sees among the Rus, that otherwise has not been evident. These sources also are silent on the baptism of the Rus in the late tenth century.

The Primary Chronicle notes that a sizable part of the population of Kiev was Christian in the mid tenth century although noting the ruling princes continued following pagan customs. The Chronicle describes the actions in the mid tenth century of the ruling regent of Kiev, Princess [[Olga of Kiev]], who visited Constantinople with a [[priest]] Gregory. While it is unclear when and where she was baptized, she became an Orthodox Christian and attempted to convert her son, Svyatoslav. But, he remained a stubborn pagan to his death in 972. His son and successor, Yaropolk I, appeared to be conciliatory towards Christianity and may have entertained visiting Christian missionaries.

After Yaropolk’s death in 980 and the ascension of his brother Vladimir as the ruling prince, Vladimir led a pagan reaction to Christianization efforts. This revitalization of pagan worship failed, however. By the mid 980s Vladimir realized the need to adopt the true religion. In 987, as reported in the Primary Chronicle, and after consulting with his boyars (knights), Vladimir dispatched envoys to study the religions of neighboring nations. Upon returning, the envoys reported their impressions, noting their objections to the religions of the Muslims, Jews, and German Christianity, while expressing the joy of the festive ritual in the cathedral [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]] in Constantinople.

Concurrently, Emperor Basil II in Constantinople approached Vladimir for aid suppressing a revolt of some of his generals. In response, Vladimir sent troops to help Basil put down the revolt. As part of their earlier agreement, Vladimir was baptized with the Christian name Basil, and followed his baptism by a marriage to Basil II’s sister, Anna Porphyrogenta.

Having accepted Christianity, Vladimir then called the people of Kiev to baptism in the Dnieper River - the iconic event of the '''Baptism of Rus''''. First, Vladimir’s twelve sons and many boyars were baptized. Then, the next day all the residents of Kiev were called to the river, where the Orthodox priests completed the sacrament of baptism. In the following days the ceremony was observed throughout the realm of Vladimir, Grand Prince of Kiev and Novgorod.

By the act of baptizing his subjects, Vladimir signaled the acceptance of Orthodox Christianity as his state religion. Also, it was this event that Russia, the lands of the Rus and the Slavic east, entered into the greater Christian world as part of the Hellenic Christian heritage. This event had the further meaning, as noted by Fr. [[John Meyendorff]]:"For the Byzantines, the ‘baptism of the Russians’ signified their integration into the [Byzantine Roman] empire itself."

==Source==
* Ed. Tessa Clark, ''The Russian Chronicles'', Thunder Bay Press, 2001 ISBN 1-57145-577-9

==Reference==
*J. Meyendorff, ''Byzantium and the Rise of Russia'', St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New New York, 1989 ISBN 0-88141-079-9

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization_of_Kievan_Rus%27 Wikipedia:Christianization of Kievan Rus]

[[Category: Church History]]

[[pt:Batismo da Rus']]
[[ro:Încreștinarea rușilor]]

Burning Bush

2024-05-15T13:09:50Z

Inistea:

[[File:Moses Burning Bush - Byzantine Mosaic.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Moses and the Burning Bush.]]
The '''Burning Bush''' is a phenonenon (miracle) described by the Book of [[Exodus]] (3:1-21) as being located on Mount Horob at which Moses was appointed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan. The narrative relates that the bush was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames, hence the name.

In Orthodox Christian tradition, as defined by the [[Church Fathers]] and the [[Ecumenical councils]], the flame [[Moses]] saw was in fact God's ''Uncreated Energies''/''Glory'', manifested as light, thus explaining why the bush was not consumed. It is not interpreted as a miracle in the sense of an event, which only temporarily exists, but is instead viewed as Moses being permitted to see these ''Uncreated Energies''/''Glory'', which are considered to be eternal things. The Orthodox definition of salvation is this vision of the ''Uncreated Energies''/''Glory'', and it is a recurring theme in the works of Greek Orthodox theologians such as [[John S. Romanides]].
[[Image:Unburnt Bush.JPG|left|thumb|200px|Theotokos the Unburnt Bush icon]]
In Eastern Orthodox parlance, the preferred name for the event is ''The Unburnt Bush'', and the theology and hymnography of the church view it as prefiguring the virgin birth of [[Jesus]]. Orthodox theology refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus as the ''[[Theotokos]]'' ("God bearer"), viewing her as having given birth to Incarnate God without suffering any harm, or loss of virginity, in parallel to the bush being burnt without being consumed.<ref>''The [[Octoechos]]'', Volume II (St. John of Kronstadt Press, Liberty, TN, 1999), Dogmaticon, Tone II</ref> There is an [[Icon]] by the name of ''[[Theotokos the Unburnt Bush icon|the Unburnt Bush]]'', which portrays Mary as ''God bearer''. the icon's [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[September 4]].[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102500]

While God speaks to Moses in the narrative, Orthodox belief is that the [[angel]] was also heard by Moses and interprets the angel as being the Logos of God, regarding it as the ''Angel of Great Counsel'' mentioned by the [[Septuagint]] version of Isaiah<ref>Isaiah 9:6 (LXX)</ref>, that in the [[masoretic text]] is rendered ''Counsellor, Almighty God''.

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia: Burning_bush]]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102500 Icon of the Mother of God "the Unburnt Bush"]

==External link==
*[http://joannicius.sovereign.us/UNCREATED%20ENERGIES.htm The Uncreated Energies: The Light and Fire of God]

[[Category: Liturgics]]
[[Category: Scripture]]
[[Category: Old Testament]]

[[ro:Rugul Aprins]]

Pskov

2024-04-29T12:30:35Z

Inistea: ro

'''Pskov''' (Russian: Псков; ancient Russian spelling Пльсковъ ''Pleskov''; Estonian ''Pihkva'') is one of the oldest cities of Russia and has been of considerable importance in the history of Russia and the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]. In twelfth century, under the religious leadership of [[Archbishop]] [[Nifont of Novgorod|Nifont]], Pskov, with [[Novgorod]], was a prominent center in the Christian [[missionary]] efforts among the heathen tribes in northwest area of the Russian plain.

The city formed around the kremlin that was built at the confluence of the Pskova and the Velikaya Rivers. Initially, built of wood, the first stone walls of the kremlin were built in 1309 and completely replaced the wooden structure in 1380, including erection of the nine towers.
[[Image:Pskov Kremlin.JPG|right|thumb|350px|Pskov Kremlin with Trinity Cathedral above the Velikaya River]]
The earliest mention of the city, originally known as Pleskov, comes in 903. At that time, Igor of Kiev married a local noblewoman who was later canonized as St. [[Olga of Kiev|Olga (Helena)]]. St. Olga was the first noble of ancient Rus to accept Orthodox Christianity. Her grandson and pupil [[Vladimir of Kiev]] directed the conversion of all [[Baptism of Rus'|Kievan Rus]] to Holy Orthodoxy in 988. The first prince of Pskov was St. Vladimir's younger son Sudislav. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the town was politically attached to the Novgorod Republic. In 1241, Pskov was captured by the Teutonic knights, but it was liberated by St. [[Alexander Nevsky]] after he defeated the knights in April 1242 on the ice of Lake Chudskoye (Peipus).

[[Image: MirozhskyMonastery.JPG|left|thumb|250px|Mirozhsky Monastery on the Velikaya River in Pskov, Russia.]]
In order to secure their independence, the Pskovians, in 1266, elected as their prince a Lithuanian prince, named [[Dovmont (Timothy)|Dovmont]], who had been [[baptism|baptized]] into Orthodox Christianity with the name Timothy, Having fortified the town, Dovmont defeated the knights at Rakovor. His [[relics]] and sword are preserved in the ancient kremlin of Pskov. The core of this citadel, that was erected by him, is still referred to as "Dovmont's town". By the fourteenth century, Pskov functioned as the capital of a sovereign republic whose most powerful political force was the merchant class that brought the town into the Hanseatic league. Pskov's sovereignty was formally recognized by Novgorod in 1348. The resulting Pskov Charter was a principal source for the all-Russian law code issued in 1497.

For greater Russia, Pskov was a bridge with Scandinavia and western Europe. As a western outpost of Russia, it was subject to numerous attacks throughout its history. The kremlin withstood 26 sieges during the fifteenth century alone. At one point, five stone walls surrounded the city, making it practically impregnable. A local school of [[iconography|icon-painting]] that continues to flourish at the [[Mirozhsky Monastery (Pskov)|Mirozhsky Monastery]], and local stonemasons were considered the best in Russia. Many of the unique features of Russian architecture originated in Pskov, and numerous [[church]]es and monasteries are located in the city and surrounding countryside.

== Image Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:TrintyCathedralPskov.JPG|Trinity Cathedral of the Pskov Kremlin, Pskov, Russia-
Image:BellTowerTrintyCathPskov.JPG|Bell Tower of Trinity Cathedral, Pskov Kremlin, Russia-
Image:StStephenDeacPskov.JPG|Church of St. Stephen the Martyr of the Mirozhsky Monastery, Pskov, Russia
Image:TransfigCathPskov.JPG|Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery, Pskov, Russia
Image:St. NicholasChPskov.JPG|Church of St. Nicholas, Pskov, Russia
Image:DormitionFerryPlacePskov.JPG|Church of the Dormition of Our Lady at the ferry place (now at St. Olga's (Olginsky) Bridge), Pskov, Russia
Image:BellTowerDormitionatFerry.JPG|Bell Tower at the Church of the Dormition of Our Lady at the ferry place, Pskov, Russia
Image:Nativity-IntercessionVirginPskov.JPG|Church of the Nativity and Intercession of the Virgin Mary, Pskov, Russia
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Pskov Orthodox Mission]]

==Sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pskov Wikipedia: Pskov]
*V. Sarabianov, ‘’Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery’‘, Severny Polomnik, 2002 ISBN 5-94431-033-2
*[http://www.pskovgo.narod.ru/pskov/kremlin_south.htm Pskov Kremlin]

==External link==
*[http://www.pskovgo.narod.ru/ Pskov City]

[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category: Places]]

[[ro:Pskov]]

Nifont of Novgorod

2024-04-29T11:11:14Z

Inistea: ro

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Nifont of Novgorod''', also '''Niphon of Novgorod''', was the [[Archbishop]] of [[Novgorod]] in the first half of the twelfth century during a time of political crisis in Novgorod. He conducted a strong program of evangelism among the [[pagan]] tribes of the northwestern territories around Novgorod and [[Pskov]]. He encouraged the establishment of monasteries with experienced [[missionary]] minded [[monk]]s. He directed the construction of [[cathedral]]s in both Novgorod and Pskov. He is commemorated on [[April 8]].

==Life==
Nifont was born in Greece and came north to the [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves]] where he was monk. After Bishop John of Novgorod retired, Nifont was chosen Bishop of Novgorod. He was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] [[bishop]] in Kiev by Metropolitan Michael in 1130. As much of the area around Novgorod was largely pagan, Nifont chose to concentrate his missionary efforts, first, around Pskov, and then the area of Ladoga, where he laid the cornerstone of the Church of St. Clement in 1153.

After Bp. Nifont’s arrival in Novgorod, the political situation began to shift to election of a “ruling” prince from the local area over one from Kiev. In 1136, the Kiev backed Prince [[Vsevolod of Pskov|Vsevolod]] Mstislavich, son of Mstislav Vladimirovich and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, was banished from Novgorod and replaced by Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich. Prince Vsevolod found refuge in the town of Pskov, a rival of Novgorod. Soon, Bp. Nifont joined Vsevolod in Pskov after he refused a second marriage for Prince Svyatoslav that was against the Church canons. This exile lasted until about 1142.

As part of his evangelical zeal, Bp. Nifont had initiated before his exile a program of repairing and building churches in Novgorod, notably construction of Dormition Cathedral on the market square, in 1135. With his exile to Pskov, Bp. Nifont launched an active evangelistic program in the Russian territories adjacent to the town. Pskov became a center of [[church]] and monastery building. Between 1137 and 1142, two monasteries were started in Pskov, the [[Mirozhsky Monastery (Pskov, Russia)|Mirozhsky]] and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist of Ivanovsky Monasteries, monasteries in which the new missionaries were trained in spreading Christian ideals with sermons that bore personal examples of asceticism. At Mirozhsky Monastery, he also initiated the building of the [[Transfiguration Cathedral (Pskov)|Transfiguration Cathedral]] with twelfth century frescos that have survived to today.
[[Image:TransfigCathPskov.JPG|right|thumb|150px|Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery, Pskov, Russia]]
After the repose of Metr. Michael of Kiev in 1145, the Grand Prince Isiaiaslav moved to have the [[schemamonk]] Clement consecrated to the Kievan [[see]] without the blessing of the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]. At a [[Holy Synod|council of bishops]], Abp. Nifont voiced his disapproval of this action, advising the council that it was contrary to the tradition of the Russian Church as the Church had received the Orthodox faith from Constantinople. The consecration of Clement took place regardless of Abp. Nifont’s objection. Abp. Nifont thereafter refused to serve with Metr. Clement nor to commemorate him during services.

Clement in turn refuse to let Nifont return to Novgorod, keeping him under house arrest at the Kiev Caves Monastery. After Prince Isiaiaslav was defeated by Prince George I in 1149, Abp. Nifont was released and allowed to return to a joyous Novgorod. Praising in a letter Abp. Nifont’s defense of the traditions of the Church, the Patriarch of Constantinople sent Metr. Constantine to Kiev to depose Clement and assume the see in Kiev.

Abp. Nifont returned to Kiev to meet the new metropolitan, taking up residence again at the Kiev Caves Monastery. While at the monastery, Abp. Nifont became ill. On April 8, 1156, Abp. Nifont reposed after he had seen in a dream thirteen days before St. Theodosius who had told him of his coming death.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=John|
title=[[List of bishops of the Diocese of Novgorod|Bishop of Novgorod]]|
years= 1130-1156|
after=?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=101030 St Niphon the Bishop of Novgorod]
*V. Sarabianov, ''Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery'', Severny Polomnik, 2002 ISBN 5-94431-033-2

==External link==
*[http://www.museum700.org/32.en.html Ladoga]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Novgorod]]
[[Category:12th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:12th-century saints]]

[[ro:Nifon de Novgorod]]

Basil of Ostrog

2024-04-29T08:47:31Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Images svvasilije.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Basil of Ostrog]]
Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Basil of Ostrog and Tvrdoš''' the Miracle-worker (Serbian: ''Свети Василије острошки и и тврдошки чудотворац'') was the Serbian Orthodox [[Metropolitan]] of Zahum and Herzegovina from 1639 to 1671. His [[feast day]] is [[April 29]].

== Early life ==
St. Basil was born in Mrkonjić, a village in Herzegovina, of simple and God-fearing parents named Petar and Ana Jovanović (Петар и Ана Јовановић). His [[baptism]]al name was Stojan (Стојан). From his youth, he was filled with love for the Church of God. He was taught the [[Holy Scriptures]] in the Zavala [[Monastery]]. His teacher was Serafim, the monastery's [[igumen]]. When Stojan reached maturity, Fr. Serafim sent him to the Monastery of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Theotokos (Tvrdoš), near Trebinje. Stojan was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Basil and was then [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]] and [[presbyter]]. As a monk, he quickly became renowned because of his genuine and rare ascetical life. Soon he was raised to [[archimandrite]]. Saint Basil took upon himself mortification upon mortification, each one heavier and more difficult than the last. He spent one year on [[Mount Athos]].

== Metropolitan ==
When Basil returned in 1638, he was elected and consecrated Metropolitan of Western Herzegovina, against his will. As a hierarch, he first lived in the Tvrdoš Monastery, from which he, as a good shepherd, strengthened his flock in the Orthodox Faith, protecting them from the cruelty of the Turks and the cunning ways of the Latins. When Basil was exceedingly pressed by his enemies and when Tvrdoš was destroyed by the Turks, he moved to [[Ostrog Monastery|Ostrog]], accompanied by thirty monks, where he continued to live an austere ascetical life, protecting his flock by his ceaseless and fervent [[prayer]]. [[Patriarch]] [[Gabriel I of Pec|Gavrilo I]] appointed Basil Metropolitan of Eastern Herzegovina on [[November 27]], 1651. He died peacefully in the Lord on [[April 29]], 1671, leaving behind his incorruptible [[relics]], which are still uncorrupted and miracle-working to the present day. The [[miracle]]s at the grave of St. Basil are without number. Christians and Muslims alike come before his relics and find healing of their most grave illnesses and afflictions. A great people's assembly (pilgrimage) occurs there annually on the Feast of [[Pentecost]].

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Western Herzegovina and Zahum|
years=1639-1651|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Eastern Herzegovina and Polimlje|
years=1651-1671|
after=?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://ncstbasilofostrog.com/ St Basil of Ostrog]
*[http://www.visit-montenegro.com/ostrog-basil-life.htm St Basil of Ostrog]
*[http://www.serbianorthodoxchurch.net/cgi-bin/saints.cgi?view=118446134104 St Basil of Ostrog]
*[http://halifax.serbian-church.net/svvasilije-en.html St Basil]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:17th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Serbian Saints]]
[[Category:17th-century saints]]

[[ro:Vasile de Ostrog]]

Matrona of Moscow

2024-04-26T13:54:34Z

Inistea: ro

[[Image:Matrona Moskovskaya.jpg|right|thumb|<center>St. Matrona of Moscow (Blessed Matronushka)</center>]]
Saint '''Matrona the Wonderworker of Moscow''' (born '''Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova,''' Russian: Блаженная Матрона Московская, 1881 - May 2, 1952), is a renowned saint of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] who had the gift of spiritual vision and the gift of healing from early childhood. Her [[feast day]] is commemorated by the Church on [[May 2]], in both the Old and New Calendar churches.<ref group="note">St. Matrona passed away on the actual calendar day of May 2nd, and is in fact commemorated by the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] on May 2nd - noting that the [[Revised Julian Calendar|new calendar]] day of May 2nd is regarded as [[April 19]]th in the [[Julian Calendar|Old Style]]. Therefore, while the Russian Orthodox Church will also commemorate the rest of the saints for April 19th together with St. Matrona (on May 2nd), in New Calendar churches by contrast, the list of saints for May 2nd (a different set of saints) will be commemorated together with St. Matrona (on May 2nd).</ref> The readings for her feast day are Galatians 3:23-29, and Luke 7:36-50.<ref>HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, a parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow. ''[http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/index.php?year=2011&today=2&month=5&trp=1&tzo=-4 Monday, May 2, 2011 / April 19, 2011 (Church Calendar)].''</ref>

An account is preserved whereby St. [[John of Kronstadt]], upon discerning the 14-year old Matrona among a crowd of [[Pilgrimage|pilgrims]] that had come to see him, asked everyone to step aside and let the girl come through and approach him. As she walked towards him he exclaimed: ''“Here is my successor, the eighth pillar of Russia.”'' To this day no one can explain the significance of that phrase spoken by him. However, the fact that Saint John of Kronstadt, known for his gift of spiritual foresight, singled Matrona out in the crowd and sought to converse with her, testifies to his having recognized the Holy seal on her, and how she would serve Russia and the Russian people during the [[w:Treatment of Christians in the Soviet Union|persecution of the Church]].

==Early life==
Matrona was born to Dmitry and Natalia Nikonov in the village of Sebino in Tula Province, slightly over 300 kilometers south of Moscow, in a very poor peasant family. She was the fourth child.

The Nikonovs lived in such poverty that to feed and clothe a fourth child seemed impossible, and before the baby was born, Natalia decided to send it to an orphanage sponsored by Prince Golitsin in the neighboring village of Buchalki, where underprivileged and illegitimate children were brought up at the prince’s expense. Shortly afterwards however her mother changed her mind after she had a prophetic dream. Her unborn daughter appeared to Natalia in the form of a white bird of holy beauty, with a human face and closed eyes, alighting on her arm. Accepting the dream as a sign, the God-fearing woman decided to keep the baby, who was indeed born totally blind, with firmly shut eyelids over empty eye sockets. The baby also had a raised birthmark in the form of a [[Sign of the Cross|cross-shaped protrusion]] on her chest. Her mother took this as a sign from God.<ref group="note">Holy Scripture testifies that the Lord sometimes chooses His servants even before they are born. As He said to the Holy Prophet Jeremiah, ''“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee”'' (Jeremiah 1:5). Matrona also seemed to have been chosen for a special purpose; from her birth, the Lord gave her both spiritual gifts and a heavy cross that she bore with humility and patience throughout her life.</ref>

===Baptism and Infancy===
As is the custom, she was [[Baptism|baptized]] 40 days after birth. When the local clergyman Vasily Troitsky dipped her into the [[font]], a column of light, sweet-scented steam rose up from the font to the ceiling. The clergyman was amazed, and said: ''“I have christened many an infant, but have never seen anything like this! This infant shall be a [[saint]]!”''. The child was christened Matrona, in honor of the venerable Matrona,<ref group="note">Saint Matrona, Abbess of Constantinople ([http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/matrona.html Matrona of Perge]), + ca. 510, feast day [[November 9]].</ref> a Greek zealot of the 5th century.

A friend of Natalia’s later related that when the child was still nursing, her mother complained, ''“What can I do? The baby doesn’t take my breast on Wednesday and Friday – she just sleeps all day and it is impossible to wake her up.”''

The blind Matrona had been endowed by the Lord with spiritual foresight. Already in her infancy, at night, when everyone was asleep, the girl somehow made her way into the holy corner where the [[icons]] stood, took them down from the shelf, and attempted to converse with them. Her parents were most surprised when they found their little daughter occupied in this manner for the first time.

As she grew, village children often made fun of Matrona, mocking her with cruel games. They would hit her with stinging nettles, knowing that she couldn’t see, and once they put her into a pit, watching curiously as she felt her way out of it and shuffled home. Because of these “games,” Matrona stopped playing with other children and stayed at home.

The Nikonov home was situated near the beautiful Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which served seven or eight surrounding villages. Matrona’s parents were known for their piety and, as they often attended Divine services together, Matrona “grew up” in church. When Natalia didn’t know where the young girl was, she often found her there, standing quietly in her usual place, behind the door near the west wall. She knew the church prayers and hymns and often sang along with the choir.

===Gifts of Spiritual Vision and Healing===
As little Matrona grew up, she suddenly began evincing the gift of spiritual vision. Her relatives recalled that even as a child she not only perceived human [[sin|sins]] and offences, but even thoughts. She felt approaching danger and foresaw natural disasters and social upheavals.

During one [[feast day]] her mother was getting ready for church and began calling to her husband to go with her. For some reason however he refused, saying he would read and chant the prayers at home. In the meantime, her mother stood in church deeply perturbed by her father’s conspicuous absence at the service. Due to this preoccupation, she prayed most absent-mindedly. When she returned home from church, Matrona turned to her and said: ''“You were not at church, Mother.”'' ''“What do you mean, I wasn’t at church?”'' asked mother in surprise. ''“I have just returned from church — see?”'' The girl, however, remarked:'' “Now father – he was in church, but you were not there!”'' With her spiritual vision the girl had seen that the mother was only ‘physically’ attending church service, while in spirit she was outside the church.

At the age of 7, besides the gift of spiritual vision, Matrona developed the gift of healing. This fact became widely known, and from that time on the Nikonovs’ home began to draw the ailing and afflicted from all over the region, who made their way there daily in the hopes the little girl would work a [[miracle]] for them. People begged Matrona to pray for them and cure them of their illnesses, and through her prayers, many people received healing from sickness and consolation in sorrow. They came from surrounding villages, and later even from other districts and regions on foot, by cart, and in wagons. Matrona often prayed for bedridden invalids, who would be raised to their feet, healed. Out of gratitude, they left food and gifts for her parents, so instead of being a burden, Matrona soon became the family’s main provider.

Matrona said prayers over water and gave it to those who came to her. Drinking this water and sprinkling it about protected one from a variety of dangers. The contents of these prayers is unknown, but, of course, at that time it was difficult to obtain [[Holy water]] sanctified by a [[priest]] who had the canonical right to perform this task. It is known, however, that miraculous healing occurs not only through small amounts of holy water blessed in church, but also through [[Life-Giving Spring|springs and wells]] associated with righteous people who spent their prayerful lives near these springs, as well as [[Life-Giving Spring|springs]] near places where holy icons appeared.

At the age of 17 Matrona suddenly lost the use of her legs. From that moment on and to the end of her days she was unable to walk. However, she never complained of her fate meekly accepting this heavy burden from God.<ref group="note">Some have asked why God allowed this, but in the view of pious Russians, one only has to look at how the Lord tested his elect in the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament|New]] Testaments to see that such an event doesn’t contradict either His power or goodness. Not only was Matrona’s spiritual life unhindered by this event, but it served to glorify God through the her patient longsuffering.</ref> So, to the end of her days she remained seated. Her “sitting” in various homes and apartments where she found shelter continued for another fifty years.

==Revolution and Later Life==
[[Image:St Matrona of Moscow1.jpg|right|thumb|<center>St. Matrona of Moscow.</center>]]
When still a teenager Matrona predicted the Revolution in Russia. She described in detail how churches would be desecrated and plundered, how believers would be persecuted, and what a bloody struggle would unfold for the land.

Matrona herself was forced to lead a vagarious life in soviet years. In 1925 at the age of 40 she was forced to leave her native village because of her two brothers, Mikhail and Ivan, who were both staunch communists, and as such, atheists. The two were irritated by the ceaseless procession of needy and ailing folk coming to their homestead because of Matrona. Besides, bearing in mind the persecutions that revolutionary authorities subjected Orthodox Christians to, the brothers feared for their own lives and the lives of their family and kin.

For this reason Matrona, with the help of friends, found herself in Moscow, where she had relatives and acquaintances. She was forced to move from one apartment to another, avoiding confrontation with the atheist authorities. The Lord kept watch over her; she always knew in advance when they were coming to arrest her, and so she was able to move on and avoid arrest. Her friends always managed to take her to some safe place in the nick of time. At a time when other religious people were sent to Stalinist labor camps or sent into exile for their beliefs, no one ever betrayed Matrona's location. People continued to come to Matrona for advice and for help with their troubles.

Matrona’s life followed pretty much the same pattern as always: in the daytime she received visitors, and at night she prayed. In this manner she spent her years.

A story, related by her biographer, Zinaida Zhdanova, tells how Matrona told Zinaida's mother, Evdokia, described as being a plain 28-year-old, that she would marry a handsome nobleman. Evdokia moved to Moscow and became a cook at the house of a rich nobleman whose son, Vladimir, was betrothed to one Shukhova. Shortly thereafter, Vladimir is said to have had a dream in which a voice told him to marry a woman named Evdokia. The next morning he asked if there was such a woman in the household, met her, and nearly fainted. Later, he was sent for training to [[w:Perm|Perm]] with Evdokia, and Zinaida was born shortly thereafter.

Although blind, Blessed Matrona was always surrounded with [[Iconography|icons]]. In Moscow, in the room in which she lived for a long period, there were icon corners with icons from floor to ceiling, and glowing icon lamps before them. One woman, working in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in Moscow often came to Matrona and later recalled how Matrona told her, ''“In your church I know all the icons and where they are.”'' People were astonished to learn that Matrona had a visual conception of the world, like those with sight. Zenaida Vladimirovna Zhdanova once said sympathetically, ''“It’s a pity, Matushka, that you can’t see the beauty of the world,”'' to which Matrona answered, ''“Once, God opened my eyes and showed me the world and His creation. I saw the sun and the stars in the sky and everything on the earth, the beauty of the earth, mountains, rivers, the green grass, flowers and birds.”''

In an even more remarkable example of her [[w:Clairvoyance|clairvoyance]], she helped a college architecture student revise a paper required for graduation by describing in detail some of the great architectural achievements in Florence and Rome, including the [[w:Palazzo Pitti|Palazzo Pitti]].

Zinaida Zhdanova referred to the Blessed Matrona as ''“the epitome of the angel–warrior incarnate, with sword of fire in hand fighting evil powers”.'' Matrona was born a Saint, something that set her apart from other Orthodox zealots, who with their deeds over time were granted the gift of Saintliness from the Lord. Obviously, this helped her manage the torrent of sorrow and grief that countless visitors inundated her with daily. People who came to her for help were Muscovites and from other towns, representing diverse stratum of society: some were common folk, others, intelligentsia and military folk. There were so many of them! At times the Blessed Matrona received up to forty people a day! At times she consoled a crying person by taking their head into her hands and simply holding them thus, praying all the while. And the person would leave thus fortified spiritually, although they had just been close to utter despair.

===World War II===
During the Great Patriotic war of 1941-1945 Matrona told Zinaida Zhdanova that she made invisible visits to the front to help soldiers. In those years she was often people’s only source of information regarding their relatives and friends. She replied to people’s questions saying: ''“Alive! Wait for him (her).”'' Or ''“They’ve died. Arrange for the [[Memorial Services|burial service]].”''

===Against Unclean Spirits===
[[Image:Blessed Matrona.jpg|right|thumb|St. Matrona the Righteous Wonderworker of Moscow.]]
Matrona cured people of various torments, cast on them by demons. Once four men brought an old lady to her, who was waving her arms like a windmill. After Matrona read some prayers over her, the woman grew calm and stopped waving her arms. On another occassion, a lady suddenly fell ill with epilepsy; during her attacks, she fell to the floor, foaming at the mouth and squirming and arching convulsively. They brought her to Matrona. The latter sat tensely, leaning forward and stretching out her little hands, and then pronounced: ''“Oh, what a big demon they’ve sent into her!”'' Reading the necessary prayers over the head of the unfortunate possessed woman, Matrona addressed the woman with the words: ''“I shall not cope with your demon alone. If you help me, then you shall live. You need to take [[Eucharist|the sacrament]] every Sunday”.'' And that is what the woman did.

Matronushka was forced not only to treat the victims of witchcraft, but to fight with those practicing sorcery. She frequently mentioned that she was waging a struggle against witches and other evil powers and that struggle was taking up a lot of her strength. Of sorcerers, Matrona said, ''“To those who enter willingly into union with the powers of evil, dedicating themselves to witchcraft, there is no escape. It is forbidden to go to these old women for counsel – one heals and the other causes harm.”'' Folk medicine and [[Paganism|pagan]] spiritual practice continued to be widely practiced in Soviet Russia, particularly in the form of fortune telling and a pagan approach to natural healing. Matrona helped many victims of these practitioners.

The help that Matrona gave to the ill had nothing to do with charmers, fortune-tellers, and so-called folk healers and other magical dealings, in which the ‘healer’ is in contact with dark forces, but was of a true Christian nature.<ref group="note">''"The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects."'' (James 5:16)</ref> The righteous Matrona was therefore hated by sorcerers, as is witnessed by those who knew her well during the Muscovite period of her life. Above all Matrona [[Prayer|prayed]] for people. As a righteous one of God, richly endowed with gifts from on high, she asked of the Lord miraculous help for the suffering. Her help was also unmercenary, and she took nothing from anyone.

Militant atheism, the growth of estrangement and malice, the rejection of traditional faith by millions of people, and life without repentance led to heavy spiritual consequences. Matrona felt and understood this well. On the days when political demonstrations were held, Matrona urged everyone not to go outside, but to close their windows and doors. Hordes of demons, she said, occupied the entire area, filling the air and troubling people. Perhaps, here, Blessed Matrona, who often spoke allegorically, wanted to remind those around her of the need to guard the ‘windows of the soul’ – as the Holy Fathers sometimes call the senses, from evil spirits.

Thinking of the years after the revolution, Zenaida Zhdanova once asked Matushka, ''“How can God allow so many churches to be closed and destroyed?”'' Matushka replied, ''“It is the will of God to reduce the number of churches because there will be few believers and no one to serve.”'' Later, she said,
:“The people are under hypnosis, they are not themselves, a terrible power has come into being…This power exists in the air and penetrates everything. In earlier times, swamps and impenetrable forests were the habitations of these forces because people were going to churches, they wore crosses and their homes were defended by [[icons]], lampadas and [[Blessing of homes|blessings]]. Before, demons could only fly near these houses, but now they inhabit both houses and people because of unbelief and apostasy from God.”

==Death==
[[Image:Matrona 1 big.jpg|right|thumb|<center>Holy relic of St Matrona of Moscow.</center>]]
She is said to have predicted her own death three days in advance, accepting all visitors during those final days. She gave all the necessary instructions, asking to have her funeral service in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe on Donskaya Street, where Fr. Nikolai Golubstov served. She also asked that people not bring plastic flowers and wreaths to her funeral. Until the end, she frequently had confession and [[Holy Communion]]. She was very humble and like ordinary sinful people, she was afraid of death and did not hide her fear from those who were close to her.

She predicted that several years after her death her grave would become a site of pilgrimage, and so it happened. Following her death in 1952, her grave-site became a [[pilgrimage]] site, and more than thirty years after Matrona’s repose, her gravesite at [[St. Daniel Monastery (Moscow)|Danilov Monastery's]] cemetery continued to be one of the holy places of Orthodox Moscow, where people from every corner of Russia and abroad come with their sorrows and sicknesses.

On [[March 8]], 1998 the appropriation of the holy [[relics]] of the Blessed Matrona took place. A year later on [[May 2]], 1999, she was [[glorification|canonized]] as a Saint of the [[Church of Russia]] with Patriarch [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II (Ridiger)]] presiding.

At the request of the nuns of the Moscow Pokrovsky ([[w:Intercession Monastery (Moscow)|Convent of the Holy Intercession of the Mother of God]]), who cared for her grave, the relics were transferred to that Convent. From then on the Convent has become a site of pilgrimage for people not only all across Russia, but from all over the world. The nuns carefully collect and write down all testimonies of miraculous help received by people from the Blessed Matrona.

==Legacy==
St. Matrona led an [[Asceticism|ascetic]] life on her bed of pain. She [[Fasting|fasted]] constantly, slept little, her head resting on her chest, and her forehead had a small depression by the innumerable [[Sign of the Cross|signs of the Cross]] that she made.

Matushka didn’t give sermons, she didn’t play the role of a teacher. She gave concrete advice on how to deal with this or that situation, and always prayed and blessed. In general she was not talkative; her answers were brief.

The life of St. Matrona reminds us that all of us are called to a life of holiness and that this is possible for all of us. She was not a [[Monk|nun]], never attended a seminary, in fact was an illiterate, peasant woman yet was so filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit that she was able to see people's needs and sins, predict the future, and perform countless miracles even after her death. The [[Holy Scripture|Bible]] teaches that when a person is cleansed of their sinful passions and is filled with the Holy Spirit the presence of the Spirit produces certain "gifts" or "fruit". These include the ability to read the hearts of people, perform miracles, and predict future events,<ref group="note">1 Corinthians 12:4-11.</ref> as well as having the characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience and kindness.<ref group="note">Galatians 5:22.</ref> St. Matrona was immersed and "marinated" in the divine services of the Church, spending countless hours in her village church along with several hours daily of her own private prayer.<ref group="note">She was "not of this world". Contrast this pattern of life to one where countless hours are spent on television, internet, facebook, movies, magazines, shopping, etc.; the Bible also describes the "fruit" of this type of immersion (i.e the fruit of the world): adultery, fornication, hatred, jealousy, selfish ambition, and dissension (see Galatians 5:19).</ref>

She was Orthodox in the deep traditional meaning of the word. Her loving compassion for people and her fidelity to the Holy [[Orthodox Church]] was the focus of her spiritual life. Her [[Asceticism|ascetic labor]] stemmed from the root of centuries of traditional piety, and this is precisely what happens to those who appeal to her for help: they are confirmed in [[Orthodoxy]] and a daily life of prayer. Hundreds of thousands of Orthodox people know of Matrona, or ‘Matronushka’ as many Russians lovingly call her. Everyone who asks for her protection and intercession before God with faith and love feels that she helps now, just as she did in her earthly life.

The Blessed Matrona, just like any true Christian zealot, taught people Christianity not so much by words, as by the deeds of her whole life. Physically blind, she taught and continues to teach people true spiritual vision.

''“Blessed Matrona, you who have great boldness before [[God]], pray for us sinners!”''

==Hymns==
'''Troparion''' 
Chosen by the [[Holy Spirit]] from thy swaddling clothes O blessed eldress Matrona, 
Thou didst receive bodily weakness and blindness from God for spiritual cleansing, 
Thou wast enriched with the gift of foresight and wonderworking and hast been adorned with an incorruptible crown from the Lord. 
Wherefore, we offer thee crowns of praise, in gratitude crying out: 
Rejoice O righteous mother Matrona, fervent intercessor before God for us! 

'''Ikos 1''' 
An [[angel]] in the flesh wast thou revealed to be, O blessed Matrona, fulfilling the will of God. Though thou wast born in bodily blindness yet the Lord who maketh wise the blind and loveth the righteous enlightened thy spiritual eyes that thou mightest serve His people and the things of God were made manifest through thee. 
Wherefore with love we sing to thee such things as these: 

Rejoice, chosen one of God from thy youth; 
Rejoice, thou who didst shine forth with the [[grace]] of the [[Holy Spirit]] from thy cradle. 
Rejoice, thou who wast enriched with the gift of miracles even as a child; 
Rejoice, thou who wast filled with wisdom from God most high. 
Rejoice, thou who foresawest the will of God with noetic eyes; 
Rejoice, thou who didst put to shame the wise of this age who are blinded in mind. 
Rejoice, thou who ledest deluded souls back toward God; 
Rejoice, thou who assuagest sorrow and affliction. 
Rejoice O righteous mother Matrona, fervent intercessor before God for us. 

==References==
<div><references/></div>

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==Further reading==
'''In Romanian'''
* Lucia Ciornea (Transl.). ''[http://www.sophia.ro/The-Life-and-Miracles-of-Saint-Matrona-of-Moscow-by-autor-en-286.htm The Life and Miracles of Saint Matrona of Moscow].'' 2nd ed. 160pp. ISBN 9789731360126

==Sources==
* [http://www.roadtoemmaus.net/back_issue_articles/RTE_28/Blessed_Matrona_of_Moscow.pdf BLESSED MATRONA OF MOSCOW: SAINT AND WONDERWORKER]. (.PDF). '''The Road to Emmaus'''. Vol. VIII, No. 1, Winter 2007 (#28).
:Compiled and translated by Thomas and Sonia Hulbert, from the Russian editions:
:*''The Life and Miracles of the Righteous St. Matrona of Moscow.'' Women’s Monastery of the Protection of the Mother of God in Moscow, 2000.
:*Memoirs of Zenaida V. Zhdanova. ''The Life of Blessed Matrona of Moscow and Her Miracles in the 20th and 21st Centuries.'' Comp. by A.Khudoshin, Kiev, 2005.
:*Personal testimonies from many Orthodox Christians whose lives have been touched by St. Matrona.
* [http://www.antiochian.org/node/18294 St. Matrona of Moscow]. The Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
:*From Volume Four of the Synaxarion. Compiled by Hieromonk Makarios of [[Simonopetra Monastery (Athos)|Simonos Petra]], Mount Athos.
* Fr. Edward Pehanich. [http://www.acrod.org/readingroom/saints/stmatrona The Blind Saint With Sight: St. Matrona of Moscow (1885-1952)]. American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A.
* Tatyana Shvetsova. [http://english.ruvr.ru/2007/05/11/133693.html SAINT BLESSED MATRONA]. The Voice of Russia. May 11, 2007 15:12 Moscow Time.
* [http://www.pravmir.com/article_102.html Blessed Matrona], Orthodoxy and the World, Russian Orthodox Church Website.
* [[w:Matryona Nikonova|Matryona Nikonova]] at Wikipedia.
* Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2865/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ἡ Ὁσία Ματρώνα ἐκ Ρωσίας].'' 2 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Unmercenaries]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]
[[Category:20th-century saints]]

[[el:Ματρώνα ἐκ Ρωσίας]]
[[pt:Matrona de Moscou]]
[[ro:Matrona din Moscova]]

Eustathius of Sebaste

2024-04-15T21:01:01Z

Inistea: ro

'''Eustathius of Sebaste''' was a [[bishop]] during the mid fourth century controversies associated with [[Arianism]]. Originally a disciple of the [[heretic]] [[Arius]], his position wavered through the various shades of Arianism: Arian, [[Semi-Arianism|semi-Arian]], anomoen, and even the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene]] faith. A [[monk]], he advocated an exaggerated form of [[asceticism|ascetic]] [[monasticism]] that he brought to Armenia.

==Life==
Eustathius was born about the year 300 in Cappodoian Caesarea. He apparently was the son of Eulalius who was bishop of Sebaste in the metropolis of Armenia. About 320, he studied under Arius in Alexandria. From Alexandria he moved to Antioch where he was refused [[ordination]] by [[Eustathius of Antioch]] for his Arian leanings. <ref>Athan. Solit. p. 812</ref> However, he was ordained c. 331 by Eulalius, but was quickly defrocked for refusing to adopt clerical dress. Eustathius returned to Caesarea where he was [[ordination|ordained]] again by the Orthodox Bishop Hermogenes after he firmly stated a belief in the Nicene faith.

After Bp. Hermogenes' death, Eustathius moved to Constantinople where he became a disciple of Eusebius. But, about 342, Eusebius deposed him again, this time apparently for some act of unfaithfulness to his duties. He again returned to Caesarea where by carefully concealing his Arian leanings, he commended himself to Bp. Dianius.

Apparently during the time before he became bishop of Sebaste, Eustathius engaged in theological discussions with [[Basil of Ancyra]] and the Anomoean [[Aetius of Antioch|Aetius]], whom Basil regarded as in some sense a pupil of Eustathius. Apparently during this period, while a [[priest]], he became a monk, a practice not common at the time, and introduced ascetic monasticism to Armenia. The practices in his [[cenobitic]] communities for both men and women forbade marriage for anyone, no communication with married priest, and taught that married people cannot be saved. The garments worn in the communities were of course materials with girdles and sandals of undressed hides. In 340, his monastic followers were condemned by a [[synod]] at Gangra for their exaggerated asceticism. <ref>[http://www.synaxis.org/cf/volume37/ECF37THE_COUNCIL_OF_GANGRA_HISTORICAL.htm] The Council of Gangra</ref>

About the year 357, Eustathius became bishop of Sebaste through the Arians. It was about this time that St [[Basil the Great|Basil of Caesarea]], who was himself entering upon a monastic life, became attracted by Eustathius' reputation as a leader of monasticism. While Eustathius was anything but orthodox, Basil continued a relationship with Eustathius until about 372.

Eustathius continued to waver among the varieties of Arianism, signing all manner of heretical and contradictory formulas of faith. In 385, he was [[deposition|deposed]] from the [[see]] of Sebaste by a synod at Melitene and succeeded by [[Meletius of Antioch|Meletius]], although his semi-Arian followers remained loyal to him. His deposition seemed not to effect his standing as he was asked by the semi-Arian bishops to be at their synod at Ancyra to oppose the spread of Anomoean doctrines. At the [[Council of Seleucia]] on [[September 27]], 359, Eustathius played a prominent place in the indecisive proceedings. He was among the group of bishops, who after the council, were sent to Constantinople to present their case before Emperor Constantius. Eustathius led their case against the Arians, presenting their formula of the the dissimilarity of the Father and Son, when the Arian delegation from the [[Council of Rimini]], to the liking of Constantius, announced their position proscribing the Homoousion formula. With this turn Eustathius and his party were compelled to agree which ended the council of which St. Jerome wrote: "The whole world groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian." <ref>Jerome, Dialogue Against the Luciferians, 19.</ref>

Constantius then, in January 360, called a council in Constantinople at which [[Acacius of Caesarea]] presided that deposed and banished Eustathius and a number of bishops including [[Cyril of Jerusalem]], [[Basil of Ancyra]], and Eleusius of Cyzicus. The council used Eustathius' previous deposition by Eulalius as sufficient cause and did not allow Eustathius to defend himself.

With the death of Constantius in 361, Eustathius and the other banished bishops were recalled by Emperor Julian. With his return, Eustathius immediately repudiated his signature on the creed of the Council of Rimini and the rejection of pure Arianism. As reported by Sozomen, Eustathius joined with others in a number of synods in which he condemned the supporters of Acacius, denounced the creed of the Rimini, and asserted that Homoiousion was the true formula over that of the Homoousion and the Anomoeon of Aetius and his followers. <ref>H. E. v. 14</ref>

The accession of Valens as emperor in 364 change the landscape. Arianism again assumed ascendency. The party of semi-Arians, including Eustathius, now called Macedonians as they denied the divinity of the [[Holy Spirit]], at a council chaired by Eleusius, repudiated the Acacian council of 360 at Constantinople and the creed of the Rimini council, renewed the semi-Arian creed of Antioch, and deposed Eudoxius and Acacius. <ref>Socr. H. E. iv. 2-4; Soz. H. E. vi. 7</ref> This raised the ire of Valens who required them to hold communion with Eudoxius, which they refused. Now under loss of their sees and banishment, the Macedonians, with Eustathius, journeyed to Rome to plead with the emperor Valentinian and Pope Liberius. Finding only a reluctant Liberius, they agreed to sign a written adherence to the Nicene creed and Homoousion. <ref>Socr. H. E. iv. 12; Soz. H. E. vi. 11</ref> However, no mention was made to the [[Macedonianism|Macedonian]] [[heresy]] concerning the Holy Spirit that Eustathius subscribed to.

Returning to the East with letters of communion as proof of their orthodoxy, Eustathius and his fellow-delegates were received as the rightful bishops of their sees. <ref>Soz. l.c.; Basil. Ep. 244 [82], ¬ß 5</ref> However, Valens, who was committed to Arianism, issued a edict expelling all bishops who had been restored by Julian. In reaction to save himself, Eustathius signed a formula formed around Homoiousian that also denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Eustathius expressed great joy at the election of Basil of Caesarea to the episcopate in 370 and expressed an earnest desire to be of service to him. But, as Basil learned, these fellow-helpers of Eustathius turned out to be spies of Basil's actions and words that were all turned into malevolent senses when reported to Eustathius. <ref>Basil.ib. 223 [79], ¬ß 3</ref> These Eustathius turned on his former associate, charging him with [[Apollinarianism|Apollinarian]] and other heretical views, and encouraged the clergy of Basil's [[diocese]] to form a rival communion.

Seeing an ascendency in Arianism, Eustathius, who had alienated many Arians, sought their recognition and continued to harass Basil until Basil's death in 379. Eustathius's death followed the next year, in 380, and was succeeded by Basil's brother [[Peter of Sebaste|Peter]].

==References==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html?term=Eustathius,%20bp.%20of%20Sebaste Eustathius of Sebaste]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05628b.htm CAtholic Encyclopedia: Eustathius of Sebaste]
*[[wikipedia: Eustathius_of_Sebaste]]
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196672/Eustathius Britannica: Eustathius]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Heretics]]

[[ro:Eustatie al Sebastiei]]

Category:Orthodoxy and Islam

2024-03-19T15:59:23Z

Inistea: ro

[[Category:Non-Orthodox]]

[[ro:Categorie:Ortodoxia și Islamul]]