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LIFE OF SAINT PAUL

LAVIE, AND EXPLOITS THE SUFFERING OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS APOSTLE PAUL

WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES

(Synaxarion of St. Dimitri of Rostov - June 29)

Before that he became the Apostle, St. Paul was called Saul. Born in Tarsus in Cilicia, he was of Jewish race and belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. His noble parents lived first in Rome and then came to settle in Tarsus, with the honorary title of Roman citizens. This is why later, Paul received the qualifier Roman . We may add here that his family were the first martyr Stephen. In his youth, his parents placed him in Jerusalem to make the learning of sacred books and the Law of Moses under the direction of renowned master Gamaliel. During his studies he had with him his friend Barnabas became too Apostle of Christ. Having well-depth Law of his fathers, he showed her a fervent zeal, and attached himself to the Pharisees.

At that time, the Apostles spread the good news of Christ in Jerusalem and surrounding towns and regions, creating great discussions with the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and teachers of the law. These preachers of Christianity were quickly hated and persecuted by all those Jews. Saul also hated the holy Apostles, and would not even hear them preach Christ. He quarreled with Barnabas, Apostle now, and never ceased to blaspheme the truth. When its parent, St. Stephen, came to be stoned by the Jews, not only did he show any regret at seeing innocent shed blood of his own family, but he approved the murder and kept the clothes of Jews who beat the martyr. Having subsequently received full powers of the priests and Veterans, Saul persecuted the Church of Christ, breaking into the homes of believers, dragging men and women in prison.

Not content to persecute the faithful of Jerusalem, he went to Damascus with letters from the Priest. Breathing threats and carnage, he intended to flush out the men and women believing in Christ, to seize them and bring them into links to Jerusalem. This happened during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.

As Saul approached Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying

- Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? Seized with fear, he replied:

- Who are You, Lord?

- I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks! Trembling with fear, Saul said:

- Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?

- Rise, between the city and we'll tell you what to do!

The soldiers who accompanied Saul were dismayed to hear that voice without seeing anyone. When Saul got up, he saw nothing. His eyes were struck with blindness carnal, but his spiritual eyes began to open. He was taken by the hand to Damascus where he stayed three days in constant prayer, without seeing, eat or drink.

In Damascus the Holy Apostle Ananias lived. The Lord appeared to him in a vision, commanding him to go find Saul in the house of a certain Judas, to make the light in his eyes carnal by the imposition hands, and his spiritual eyes through baptism. But Ananias answered:

- Lord, I heard many people talk about this man and say all the harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem. He is here with full powers of the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy Name!

- Go without fear, because it is the vessel that I chose to carry My Name before the Gentiles, kings, and the son of Israel. I tell him he has to suffer for My Name!

Obedient the order of the Lord, Ananias went to find Saul and laid hands on him. Kinds of scales fell from his eyes. Baptized on the spot, he was filled with the Holy Spirit who sanctified the apostolic ministry. Its name was changed to Paul.

Paul preached immediately Jesus Son of God in the synagogues. All who heard him were astonished, "Is not he that in Jerusalem, persecuted those who invoke the name of Jesus ? Was he not come here to bind and bring them before the chief priests? "

Over time, Paul was becoming more confident and disturbed the Jews in Damascus by showing them that Jesus is the Christ. At the height of anger, they planned together to kill him and made day and night to keep the doors of the city so he could not escape them. But Ananias and the disciples in Damascus got wind of the plot. They drove at night on the ramparts of the city and brought him down along the wall in a basket.

Paul left Damascus for Arabia, as he wrote later to the Galatians: "I consulted neither the flesh nor blood, I went up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia. Then I returned again to Damascus. Three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter. "

In Jerusalem, Paul wanted to meet the Lord's disciples, but they feared, could not believe it was theirs. Finally, he met the Holy Apostle Barnabas understood that his conversion, welcomes this change, and took him to the apostles. Paul told them how he had seen Christ on the road to Damascus, what he had said and how he emboldened the Name of Jesus. His story filled the Apostles with holy joy and glorified the Lord Christ.

In Jerusalem, Saint Paul instituted the controversy with the Jews and Greeks. One day he stood praying in the temple, he took an ecstasy and saw the Lord said unto him

- Hurry, get out of Jerusalem because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me here !

- Jews know that I was put in prison those who believed in you, and I did hit the synagogues. They also know that when shed the blood of Your witness Stephen, I, I approved the murder and I kept the clothes of those who killed him!

- Go, I'll send you off to the nations!

After this vision, though he liked to stay a few days in Jerusalem to enjoy the sight and conversation of the Apostles, Paul had to leave, because those with whom he had argued on Christ were furious and tried to kill him. The brothers then took him to Caesarea where he went to Tarsus.

Paul preached the Word of God in this city until the arrival of Barnabas who brought him to Antioch. He stayed a full year to teach in the church and converted many people to Christ, to whom he gave the name of Christians . After this year, Paul and Barnabas returned to Palestine to preach to the Apostles that the grace of God acting in Antioch, which rejoiced at the Church of Jerusalem. They brought with them many gifts of the faithful of Antioch for the poor and infirm brethren in Judea. According to the prophecy of Saint Agabus (one of the Seventy) had expressed a great famine in the reign of Emperor Claudius.

Subsequently, Paul and Barnabas parted again Jerusalem to Antioch, where they lived some time in fasting and prayer, celebrating the Divine Liturgy and preaching the Word of God, until Holy Spirit sends them to preach to the nations. The Holy Spirit said in effect to the elders of the Church of Antioch: "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work for which I have called them! . After fasting and prayed, they laid their hands and then let them go.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and sailed for Cyprus. At Salamis, they preached the Gospel in the synagogues. Having crossed the island to Paphos, they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus or Elymas, who lived alongside the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. This proconsul summoned Barnabas and Paul and expressed his desire to hear the Word of God. Having listened to the Apostles believed. But the magician Elymas interposed and tried to divert him from the faith. Then Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at the magician and said: "Oh, man full of all kinds of trickery and fraud! Son of the devil! Do you not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? Behold now the Lord's hand is upon thee, thou shalt be blind, you will never see the sun for a while! . Obscurity and darkness fell on the magician who groped someone to guide him. Seeing this, the proconsul was struck by the Lord's teaching. Many people believed in his suite and the Church of Christ grows.

Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Perga of Pamphylia where they went to Antioch in Pisidia (not to be confused with Antioch in-the-Great of Syria). There they preached Christ. Like many people believed, the Jews drove the envy of the old town (who lived in the Greek impiety) to hunt without regard to the Apostles of the city and its boundaries. The latter, shaking the dust from their feet, went to Iconium, where they preached confidently leading to a multitude of Jewish faith and Greek, not only by words but by signs and miracles that their hands were doing. That's where they converted St. Thecla for the virgin betrothed to Christ. The unbelieving Jews prompted again by the Greeks and their leaders to reject the Apostles and stone them. However they got wind of the case and could flee Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe and the surrounding area where they preached.

There was a cripple who could not possibly walk. In the Name of Christ, they put him on his feet and jumped, he walked. Before this miracle the people proclaimed loudly Lycaonian language: "The gods have come down among us in human form! . They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, and young people brought bulls and wreaths to offer a sacrifice. Seeing this, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and shouted to the crowd: "Why do you act this way? We are men of the same nature as you! . And they told them about the one God, Creator of the earth and sea, offering the rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, which provides food in abundance, and joy fills the hearts of men. But it is with great difficulty that prevented them these words to offer a sacrifice.

So they remained at Lystra, Jews came from Antioch and Iconium to incite the crowd to depart from the Apostles, accusing them of lying. They did so they pushed the population to a greater evil: they stoned Paul, who held the Word, and left him for dead outside the city. It could however be pointed out, back into the city and return Barnabas, with whom he started the next morning to Derbe. After having preached the Good Word and taught many, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch in Pisidia, strengthening the souls disciples and exhorting them to remain steadfast in the faith. Praying and fasting, they appointed elders to each church and to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia to Pamphylia visit, the word of the Lord in Perge, and then descended to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch in Syria where the Spirit had sent early in their ministry to preach the Word of God. At Antioch, they gathered the church and told what God had made them and they had converted pagans to Christ.

Shortly after, the converted Jews and Greeks of Antioch had a discussion about circumcision. Some said it could not be saved without being circumcised, others found it too painful. Paul went to Jerusalem with Barnabas to treat this matter with the apostles and elders, and told them how God had opened the doors of the pagan faith, new high delight all the brothers in Jerusalem. The Apostles and elders met and decided therefore to repeal the circumcision of the Old Testament, now useless to grace. They ordered abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from fornication, and to offend in any way the next.

After that, they sent Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with Judas and Silas, where they stayed long enough before breaking again to go to the Gentiles. Barnabas went to Cyprus with Mark's parent. As for Paul chose Silas and departed in the cities of Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches there. Reached Derbe and Lystra, he had circumcised his disciple Timothy to cause murmurs of the Jews. From there he went to Phrygia and Galatia, then crossed to Mysia Troas, with the intention of winning Bithynia, which the Holy Spirit would not allow him to do.

While Paul was at Troas with his disciples, he had a night vision: a man who looked like a Macedonian stood before him, begging him to come help his country. Paul understood that the Lord called them to preach the Good News.

Leaving Troas with his disciples, Paul reached Samothrace, and the morning of Neapolis. Then he reached the city of Philippi in Macedonia, where the Romans lived. He named a seller of purple called Lydia, after teaching her faith in Christ. She invited him to stay at his house with his disciples.

One day, while Paul went to church with his disciples to pray, a young girl came to meet them. This young girl was possessed by an evil spirit which his master seer drew great profit. Next Paul and his companions, she cried constantly, "These men are servants of God Almighty that we announce the way of salvation! She harassed Paul in this way for many days. The latter, exasperated, finally turn around and drive out the spirit by invoking the name of Christ. Masters of the girl, seeing evaporate the source of their earnings, they seized Paul and Silas and brought them before the princes and strategists saying: "These men disturb our city! They are Jews that teach customs and for us, Romans, it suits neither accept nor to follow! . Strategists tore their clothes and made them beat up their causing many injuries and then they brought them to jail. About midnight, while they were praying, the prison shook, the doors opened and the prisoners were broken links. Seeing this, the jailer believed in Christ and led prisoners with him, and washed their wounds, and was baptized with her household. Then they prepared a meal, after which they all returned to the prison. In the morning, strategists repented of having been beaten and sent innocent men to release them, giving them the opportunity to go wherever they wished. But Paul said: "After having beaten us publicly and without trial, we who are Roman citizens, they threw us in jail! And now, they make us go out secretly! It will not be so! They are themselves set us free! The messengers went back among strategists for their report the words of Paul. They were frightened to learn that they had beaten prisoners were Roman citizens. They came to beg them to leave the city. Leaving their cells, Paul and his companions went to Lydia's house where they stayed when they arrived: they consoled the brethren who were gathered and embraced. Then they went to Amphipolis and Apollonia.

Subsequently, they came to Thessalonica, where they converted a great multitude of people by preaching the Good Word. The Jews gathered some wicked jealous men and attacked Jason's house where the apostles lived. Do not find them, they took Jason and some other brothers, and dragged before the magistrates. They accused them of opposing Caesar citing another king named Jesus. Jason had great difficulty in freeing themselves from this calamity. For their part, the Apostles were hiding while waiting to leave the city at night to go to Berea. But again, the wicked jealousy of the Jews did not leave Paul alone. Indeed, the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul also preached the Word of God at Berea, and they came to raise the people against him. The Holy Apostle again had to flee towards the sea, not because he was afraid of death, but because the brothers prayed earnestly to preserve his life for the salvation of a multitude. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea to strengthen the faith of converts, because the Jews wanted only to Paul's head.

Paul boarded a ship bound for Athens. Noting that the city was full of idols, he was irritated to see so many souls lost. So he began to struggle with the Jews in their synagogues, and with the Greek philosophers and public places. The latter led him to the Areopagus (as they called the area near the Temple of Ares which was pronounced death sentences). Some had their heads in to hear about news, but others, like St. John Chrysostom said, waiting for the opportunity to engage in trial, suffering and death, if they come to hear her mouth something that deserved punishment. He began his speech with an allusion to an altar in Athens dedicated to an unknown God, and spoke of the true God they did not know saying, "The God you worship as unknown, this is the one that I announce! . And he showed them the God who had created the world. Then he approached the subject of repentance, of Judgement and resurrection of the dead. Upon hearing of resurrection of the dead, some mocked, but others wanted to learn more ... Following this speech, Paul left the Areopagus without conviction, and the Word of God appropriated some souls indeed some men attached themselves to the Apostle, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named honorable Damaris, and others who asked to be baptized.

then Paul left Athens to Corinth where he stayed with a Jew named Aquila. Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to join him and together they served the Word. Aquila and Priscilla his wife were making tents. Paul learned their craft and was able to earn his food and that of his companions in the work of his hands. As he said later to the Thessalonians: "We ate the bread for free. It is in the work and the pain we have been night and day at work for not to be a burden to any of you "(2Thes., 3.8). Every Saturday, he discussed with Jews in synagogues, showing that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Messiah. But the Jews challenged and derided him, so he ends up shaking his clothes and say, "Your blood be upon your head! I am pure! Now I go to the Gentiles! As he was leaving Corinth, the Lord appeared to him in a vision at night and he said: "Fear not for I am with you, and nobody will attack you to hurt you because J 'I have many people in this town! . So Paul stayed a year and a half in Corinth and taught the Word of God to Jews and Greeks. Many people were baptized, including Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, who believed in the Lord with all his family. But some Jews agreed to attack Paul and dragged to court the brother of the philosopher Seneca, the proconsul Gallio, who declared: "If he had done something wrong I would have thought, but I am not taking sides in controversy over the lyrics of your law! . And he drove them without court judge Paul. He remained still long enough to Corinth, and then he kissed her brothers and sailed for Syria with his companions. Aquila and Priscilla followed him, and they landed in Ephesus.

There they preached the Word of God. Paul performed many miracles, not only by imposing hands on the sick, but also through his sweat-soaked clothes. They were applied on patients who were cured of their ailments and or delivered from demons. Seeing this, some itinerant Jewish exorcists decided to turn invoke the name of Jesus to deliver a person possessed by evil spirits. They said: "We beseech you by Jesus whom Paul preaches! . But the evil spirits answered: "We know Jesus and we know who is Paul, but you, who are you? And the possessed fell upon them, overpowered, defeated and wounded them so that they fled naked. This story was known throughout Ephesus, sowing fear among the Jews, so that the Name of Jesus was magnified and that many people believed in Him. There were even a number of those who practiced the art of magic to come to faith in doing so, they brought their books together and burned them with magic for all to see. However, the value of these books was estimated at fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus, the Word of God grew in power.

After that, Paul conceived the idea to go to Jerusalem and said: "When I myself am made, it should also let me see Rome! . So he left Ephesus after spending three years, which ended with major disturbances caused by the worshipers of Artemis. Then he went to Troas with his companions and remained there seven days. While they were in this city, the disciples came together on the first day of the week to break the bread, after which Paul began a long conversation with them which lasted until midnight. The room where the meeting took place was brightly lit, a young man fell asleep on the edge of a window, fell from the third floor and died. Paul got out, leaned over him, took him in her arms and said: "Do not disturb! His soul is in it! . He got into the room and they brought the boy alive. The interview continued until dawn and Paul departed after kissing the faithful. Arrived at Miletus, he sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus, because he would not return itself not to further delay his arrival in Jerusalem. As the old arrived, he told them: "Take care of yourselves, watch over all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, and graze the Church that the Lord purchased with His own blood! . And he predicted that grievous wolves enter in among them after his departure. They also spoke of the trip he was planning to undertake: "I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what to expect. The Holy Spirit warned me only that bonds and afflictions await me. I do not consider however, my life as precious, most being that I accomplish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord! "And he added:" Now, here I go and none of you will not see my face! " all burst into tears, fell on his neck, kissed him, grieving for what he had said they would never again met his face, and accompanied him to the ship. He gave everyone a last kiss and began his journey. After passing through many cities and coastal regions have wet and several islands, landed at Ptolemais, and came to Caesarea. He stayed there at the Holy Apostle Philip, one of the seven deacons, where he was visited by a prophet named Agabus. The latter took Paul's belt, tied to the feet and hands and said: "Thus says the Holy Spirit! The Jews of Jerusalem will bind and the man who owns this belt! They handed over to the Gentiles. " Hearing this, the brothers in tears begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But he replied: "What have you to weep and break my heart? Not only do I want to be bound, but I am ready to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus! The brothers were silent, then concluded by saying: "The will of God be done! .

With that, Paul went to Jerusalem with his disciples, among whom was Trophime of Ephesus, a Greek converted to Christ. In Jerusalem, Paul was received with love by the Apostle Saint Jacques, brother of the Lord, and all the faithful of the Church. These days, the Jews of Asia came to Jerusalem for the feast. They hated Paul and stood over against him in Asia. Having preview city of Ephesus Trophime company, they went to the chief priests, scribes and elders, accusing him of destroying the law of Moses and ordered not to be circumcised and everywhere preaching Christ crucified. They s'excitèrent and each other to seize him. The Day the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple, the accused, the people revolted against him and seized him, shouting: "Jewish people, help! Here is one who preaches everywhere against our people, against the law, against this place, and blasphemy! He even desecrated this holy place by introducing Greek! "They thought that Paul had indeed entered the temple with Trophime. The whole city was agitated, people ran and caught Paul, dragged him out of the temple and locked the door behind him. Their intention was to kill him off for not defile the holy place. At that time, the tribune of the cohort who guarded the city learned that all Jerusalem was raised. He ran with his soldiers and centurions. Seeing the soldiers and the tribune, people stopped beating Paul. The Tribune ordered him seized him, bound him with two iron chains and asked him who he was and how badly he had committed. The people shouting to kill him. The uproar was such that the Tribune could not understand the fault of Paul. He therefore lead the prisoner in the fortress. The soldiers complied, passing through the crowd that demanded death. As they arrived on a hill, Paul asked the Tribune permission to say a few words to the people, and gave him the tribune. Paul addressed the people in Hebrew, saying: "Brothers and fathers! Listen to what I now say to my defense! ... . And he spoke of his former zeal for the Law of Moses. Then he told how, on the road to Damascus, he was illuminated by a heavenly light and saw the Lord sent him to the Gentiles. But the people would not listen longer to the tribune and shouted: "Take away from the earth such a man! It is not worthy of live! "They screamed, threw their clothes, threw dust into the air with fury and demanded the death of Paul. The Tribune did enter it in the fortress and gave him the whip to know for which reason the people cried so against him. While being whipped, Paul spoke to the centurion who stood at his side

- You Is it permissible to beat with rods and a citizen Roman is not even condemned?

At these words the centurion approached the tribune and said

- Look what you gonna do! This man is a Roman citizen!

The Tribune approached Paul and said

- Are you a Roman?

- Yes!

- It is with much money I have earned this right of citizenship!

- for me, it's birth!

With that, the Tribune said Paul untie. The next morning he called together the chief priests and elders, and sent for the prisoner. Fixing the gaze of the council, Paul said:

- Brothers! It is in all good conscience that I have behaved so far before God!

At these words, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said:

- God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit to judge me according to law and you violate the law by ordering an innocent knock!

Paul saw that this assembly was composed partly of Pharisees and Sadducees in part, is why he cried before the Sanhedrin:

- Brothers! I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee! It is because of hope in the resurrection of the dead I am judged!

When he had said this, a strong dispute arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees and the assembly was divided. The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel nor spirit, whereas the Pharisees claimed otherwise. A great outcry was soon to rise, because the Pharisees confessed find no evil in this man while the Sadducees thought otherwise, and it was divisive. The Tribune, fearing lest Paul was torn to pieces, ordered him out and bring him into the fortress. The following night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Take courage! As thou hast testified of Me in Jerusalem, must you make me witness in Rome! .

The next day, some Jews hatched a plot and vowed to abstain from food and drink until they killed Paul. They were all men over forty. Having heard of the case, the Tribune sent Paul under guard to Caesarea at the governor Felix. The chief priests immediately notified, went to Caesarea to slander Paul before the governor. Yet they failed to get his death, for no fault justifying such a sentence could not be imputed. However, the Governor Paul remained in prison to please the Jews. Two years passed and, until Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. The chief priests asked the new governor to send Paul to Jerusalem, preparing an ambush to kill him en route. Festus asked Paul if he would travel to Jerusalem to stand trial and he replied: "I am here in the court of Caesar where I should be judged. If I committed any crime deserving death, I refuse not to die. But if we do not find in me what drove them from Jerusalem to slander me, then nobody will devote myself to them because I appeal to Caesar. " With that, Festus deliberations with the board then said to Paul: "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar, thou shalt go before Caesar! .

few days later, King Agrippa arrived in Caesarea and asked to see Paul. Once before he and Festus, Paul spoke of the Lord Christ, and told them how he had been led to faith. As Agrippa said to him: "A little more and you'll make me a Christian! "Paul replied:" Let him Fault little or a lot, God grant that not only you, but all those who hear me today as I'm becoming myself, except for these chains! . At these words the King, the governor and subsequently withdrew, saying to each other: "This man has done nothing deserving death or imprisonment ! . Agrippa said to Festus: "This man could be released if he had not appealed to Caesar! . Thus we decided to send Paul to Rome before Caesar and he was given with other prisoners in the hands of the centurion Julius cohort Augusta. They boarded a ship and the journey began.

The road was not without difficulties, because of headwinds. Able to Crete and a place called Vouchers Ports Paul divined the future and suggested to stop there for the winter. But the centurion preferred listening to the advice of the helmsman and the owner, and they continued their journey. Back at sea, a very violent storm arose. We saw neither sun nor stars for two weeks to the point of losing any idea of where we stood. Battered by the waves, desperate travelers ate nothing, waiting for death. The ship had a total of two hundred seventy-six souls. One night Paul comforted them: "My friends, it would have taken my advice and do not leave Crete! However, I urge you not to lose heart because none of you will perish. Only the ship will be lost. That night, an angel of God appeared to me and said: Fear not, Paul, thou must stand before Caesar and now God has given thee all them that sail with thee . Therefore, my friends, do not worry! I trust in God that this will happen. " Then he exhorted them to take some food and added: "Fear not, for not a hair of your heads will be lost! . Having said this, he took bread, gave thanks to God and ate. All, comforted, and took some food. As day broke, they saw the earth without knowing which place it was. They directed the ship toward the shore. Reached near the shore, the ship ran aground. The bow, taken on a reef, stopped, while the stern was broken under the force of waves. The soldiers planned together to kill the prisoners so that none of them ran away, but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from running their plan and ordered those who could swim to jump into the water first to get ashore. The others left the ship after them, some on boards, on which floating debris. All reached the ground alive. They learned that the island on which they had failed was called Malta. The barbarians who inhabited the island they evinced much kindness. They made a big fire because of the cold and rain that fell, to allow to warm up shipwrecked. As Paul gathered brushwood for the fire, a viper, awakened by the heat, clung to his hand. When the barbarians saw the snake suspended from the hand of Paul, they said: "Truly this man is a murderer because the justice of God would not let him live after he was rescued from the sea! "But Paul shook the snake into the fire without suffering any harm. People thought seeing swell and die as a result of the venom. After waiting a long time without anything happening, they changed their minds and thought they were dealing with a god.

The main character of the island, a Publius, was shipwrecked and took care of them for three days. His father, suffering intestines and fever, was bedridden. Entering his home, Paul begged the Lord, his hands on him and healed him. Thereupon the other patients on the island ran and were all cured by Paul. They stayed three months on the island, then took another ship which took them to Syracuse, and thence to Rhegium (Reggio) and Puteoli (Pozzuoli), after which they reached Rome.

Learning Paul's arrival, the brothers of Rome came to him through Forum of Appius and the Three Caves. Paul rejoiced in seeing them, and gave thanks to God. In Rome the centurion, who accompanied the prisoners from Jerusalem handed them to the strategist, who allowed Paul to live alone in the care of a single soldier. Paul lived in Rome and two years, receiving all who came to visit and preach the kingdom of God and all that concerns our Lord Jesus Christ, without hindrance and with great daring.

All we have previously told of the life and labors of St. Paul of Acts is written by Saint Luke. He himself speaks of his sufferings later in the epistle to the Corinthians: "For work, much more for strokes nay, for imprisonment, much more. Often in danger of death, five times I received forty stripes save one Jewish, three times I was beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, I spent a day and night into the abyss, and I often walked on the roads. " Just as he had surveyed the land and sea in all its dimensions during his travels, he contemplated the Divine Author of being caught up into the third heaven. For the Lord to comfort his Apostle travails borne his name, he revealed the heavenly things that eye has not seen, and it was heard unspeakable words which it is not the man to return.

Eusebius of Pamphylia, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, has copied the actions of the Church. He left us an account of the latest exploits of the Holy Apostle Paul. He says that after being imprisoned two years in Rome, he was eventually found innocent and released. Thereafter, he preached the Word of God both in Rome and in other parts of the West.

Metaphrastes reports that after Saint Simeon his imprisonment in Saint Paul remained some years in Rome to preach Christ, then left the capital for voyages to Gaul, Spain and Italy, illuminating light of the many pagan faith that pulled the lure idols. While he was in Spain, a noble and rich woman had heard the preaching of the Apostles wanted to see, and urged her husband to invite the holy Probus home. While St. Paul was entering their home, this woman, named Xanthippe, lives on the front of the Apostle in this inscription in gold letters: Paul, Apostle of Christ . Having seen what no one else could not see her, she threw herself with fear at the feet of the Apostle, confessed Christ as the only true God, and asked for baptism. It therefore received the , followed by her husband Probus, their whole house, the governor of the city, and many others.

After visiting these Western countries and have lit the light of the Holy Faith, Paul returned to Rome where he wrote a letter to his disciple Timothy, saying: "I am already being offered and the time of my departure. I fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I kept faith. Now for me a crown of righteousness that the Lord will give me that day! .

The torture of the Holy Apostle is described in different ways by the various ecclesiastical writers. Kalliste Nicephorus in his book of ecclesiastical history, ch.56, writes that St. Paul suffered the same year and the same day that the Holy Apostle Peter in helping it to overcome the magician Simon. Saint Simeon Metaphrastes reports, meanwhile, that St. Paul suffered several years after the death of Simon Magus, for having converted two concubines from Nero to a pure life. Other authors say that the two Apostles suffered the same day, June 29, but a year apart, the year after Paul one where Peter was crucified. It is also said that Paul was put to death for having exhorted the women and virgins to live chaste and pure.

Anyway, like Saint Paul and Saint Peter lived several years together in Rome and the West, it is quite possible that Paul has come to help Peter in Rome in its battle against the magician Simon during his first stay in Rome, then in a second residence, has again assisted in his work of salvation, teaching men and for women to live chaste and pure. These exhortations were enraged by the Emperor Nero, wicked and evil man, so he did find the two Apostles to put them to death. Peter, as a foreigner, was crucified, and Paul, as a Roman citizen, was sentenced to be beheaded because it was inappropriate for him to die so shameful. It is not known if they died the same year, but in any case, their deaths occurred both a June 29

When the sacred head was cut off Paul, it flowed blood and milk. The faithful took his holy body to deposit the same location as that of St. Peter. Thus died the elected vessel of Christ, the Master of the pagans, the preacher universal, the visionary heights of heaven and the joys of Paradise, with angels and men an amazing sight. Great-great ascetic and suffering, Paul bore in his body the marks of his lord, the Prince of the Apostles, and was again placed, this time without his body, the third heaven, to be presented to the Triune Light with his collaborator and friend, another prince of the Apostles, the Holy Apostle Peter. They left and the Church cries out to God for the Church triumphant, and fêtèrent in the cheers and joy of the witness and glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God in Trinity, which we should sinners, we offer honor, glory, adoration and gratitude, now and ever and ever and ever. Amen.

#@#

Women Stockings Wetting Themselves

(Article extracted from spiritual treasury of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk)

Christians! Our life is as a path that connects the village to another, one city to another. Our life is a journey that we follow constantly. We slept, or that we ensure we follow him forever. We borrow it from our birth and we leave to our death. For some, this path is very long, for others it is very short, but anyway, its end, nobody knows. We do not know when we reach the end of our road. This was decided by the Lord who provides all things, so we're still waiting to go, and we prepare ourselves.

Some paths are large and spacious, other close and tight. It's the same path of our lives. But look at what these paths, spacious or cramped, and we understand how to run one or the other drives.

On the broad way is unbelief, on the narrow path is the living faith. On the broad way the absence of fear, on the narrow path the fear of God. On the broad road will own and disobedience, on the narrow path of submission and obedience. On the broad road of self-love without limit, on the narrow path of God's love and brother. On the way love the spacious vanities of the world, on the narrow path the flight of these vanities. On the broad way the search for honors, fame and wealth, on the narrow path the contempt of all these things. On the way spacious luxury and lust, on the narrow path of temperance, fasting and abstinence. On the broad road of pride and pomp, on the narrow path of humility. On the broad way the sins and iniquities, on the narrow path virtues. On the broad road of depravity, adultery and all the impurities, on the narrow path of innocence and purity. On the broad way drunkenness and indecency on the narrow path of sobriety and decency. On the broad road robbery, kidnapping, looting, violence and the injustice on the narrow path distance from it all and the attainment of justice. On the broad road rage, rage, revenge, revenge in words and deeds, on the narrow path of vengeance contempt, gentleness and patience. On the broad road toughness, fierceness and cruelty, on the narrow path of mercy and compassion. On the broad way of calumny, contempt, insults and abuse trial to the next, on the narrow path of this forbearance and silence reasonable. On the broad road lies, malice, deceit and hypocrisy, on the narrow path candor and words that correspond to thoughts. On the broad way the words, deeds and thoughts contrary to the will of God, on the narrow path of sincere repentance and its fruits, good deeds.

So you see, a Christian, how are the paths of our lives! The broad way, contrary to God, He is unpleasant. The narrow path, however, is pleasing to Him, for he agrees to His holy will. The broad road leads man to destruction, while the narrow path leads to life.

Satan attracts and leads us all the way to spacious, but Christ the Saviour, who suffered and died for all of us, reminding us on the narrow path. Think! Who should we listen to Christ, or Satan? Which path should you follow? the way that leadeth to destruction, or the narrow path that leads to life? Christ our Lord wants to lead you to eternal life, He who loves you free. But Satan, your enemy wants you lead him to perdition. Hear the words of your Savior, who deserve attention, hold them in your heart, and educate yourself with them! Be attentive to yourself, and what they say: Enter through the narrow gate. Large, indeed, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who engage in it, but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and there are few who located. (Mt.7 0.13 to 14) And the Holy Apostle adds this: We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of heaven. (Act.14: 22) Lead me, Lord, in Thy way, and I will walk in Thy truth, that my heart rejoices to fear Your Name. (Ps.85: 11) And in turn teaches Psalm 118? It teaches us how to pray to the Lord Himself teaches us His way, we maintain, and lead us always on her.

Co Człowiek Czuje Gdy Umiera

THE WAY THE ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD " OF JERUSALEM "

According to a pious tradition, the prototype of the icon of the Mother of God Jerusalem has been painted by the Apostle Saint Luke in Gethsemane fifteen years after the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Emperor Leo the Great made Constantinople to carry the icon to install it in the church dedicated to the Mother of God Source . Later, at the time of Emperor Heraclius, Constantinople was attacked by the Scythians, and the salvation of the city was obtained by the prayers of the Greek people before the icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem . After this miraculous manifestation of the mercy of the Queen of Heaven the pious emperor ordered that the holy icon was carried into the church Blachernae, where she remained for nearly three hundred years.

the early X th century, the Russian campaign against Constantinople made and carried the icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem in Cherson. Subsequently, after his baptism in the same city, Prince Vladimir in Kiev won the icon. Later, the inhabitants of Novgorod received the Christian faith, the great prince sent them the icon as a blessing. She lived more than four hundred years in the Cathedral Hagia Sophia.

the middle of the sixteenth century, Novgorod fell into the hands of the tsar Ivan the Terrible, who was transported to Jerusalem icon in Moscow, where she was placed in the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.

During the French invasion in 1812, the icon was stolen and taken to Paris. Assume it is now at Notre Dame.

Copying Moscow

We keep Moscow in the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, a copy of the icon of Jerusalem which was originally the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God yf ctyz x . On the sides of the copy represented the Holy Apostles Peter, Paul, Luke, Simon, Philip, Matthew, Marc, Jacques, Thomas and Bartholomew, and the holy martyrs Procope, George and Mercury.

The copy of Constantinople

Another copy of the icon Jerusalem was transported from Jerusalem to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, where she remained for the XII th ^{the XV th century} . According to some sources, a church dedicated to this icon in the city existed in the XI and XII ^th th centuries.

Copying Krivoezerskaïa Poustynia,

in government Kostroma

Krivoezersk The monastery was founded in 1644, at the time of the patriarch Joseph. He made about him in 1709 and the years that followed, was painted when the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem . The icon remained in the monastery thereafter.

In the year 1709, many fans of solitude and ascetic feats came to settle in the monastery, among them Cyril Ulanova, iconographer of the Tsar, who was tonsured under the name of Cornelius. Before his arrival, Father Cornelius had the desire make a copy of the miraculous icon of Jerusalem the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Moscow. So he began immediately to work. Let's hear the story of the abbot Leonce

"As I lived in Pererva, a village on a bend of the Moskva, in the monastery dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God and Saint Nicolas The thought occurred to me to get a pearl of great price, a rich treasure of the monastery Krivoezersky, near-Iourevets Poloski: I wanted to convince a good picture editor to make Moscow a copy of the most glorious and miraculous icon Jerusalem our Intercessor Almighty, the Protector of Christians, the Most Pure Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. I was pursued by the tenacious desire manhandling my soul, and I went frequently to the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God piously venerate the miraculous icon. I raised toward our All-merciful Protector of Pure and ardent prayers so that she would have mercy on us and that she was willing to give His monastery Krivoezersk the same divine image than the Cathedral Moscow, by the way she and her son chose.

I do not know how it happened, but a year later, probably by the will of God and His Mother, I had totally forgotten that desire, and his thought will cross my mind even more .

In 1709, I was still living at the monastery of Saint-Nicolas Pererva. One day, I heard people telling that some Iourevets Cyril Ulanova, a native of Moscow and pious iconography of Tsar had been tonsured to the monastery Krivoezersky under the name of Cornelius. They said he had painted a icon Jerusalem our All-Holy Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary Cathedral of the monastery dedicated to the Holy and Life. The icon, whose dimensions are slightly smaller than that of Moscow, was said to be very beautiful and quite amazing. Upon hearing this story, I wondered at God's mercy and kindness of the Queen of Heaven. I remembered my desire to see past a painted copy of the icon from Moscow to the Monastery Krivoezersky. In unspeakable joy, I rushed to Moscow to venerate the icon of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and give thanks to the Protector of Christians and our God His Son. God had manifested His benevolence towards the monastery Krivoezersk! Later, I heard that the father had left the Crow Krivoezersk monastery shortly after painting the icon! So everything had happened as if it had been sent to the monastery only to do this work! It was for me another opportunity to glorify God and our Blessed Sovereign.

must say that at that time I did not intend to settle in Desert Krivoezersk. I do not also stroked the hope of seeing the divine icon that had just been painted. I was just saying to myself: "Glory to God and His Mother! By divine providence, a treasure was given to the monastery!

In 1711, it happened that God's will and demand of the monks of the monastery put me to the position of Abbot of Krivoezersk. Shortly after arriving in Moscow, I entered the church to see this divine treasure that I had so desired, this glory and joy of Christians, icon Jerusalem our Sovereign Mother of God. As my soul rejoices to have been worthy to see and worship!

icon was solemnly blessed this year, Aug. 20, shortly after the Dormition, and a special feast was established in his honor. The abbot and his entire community promised God to renew the solemn veneration every year in remembrance of God's gift. We wanted to give thanks and glory to our God in the Trinity and His merciful Mother for the award the monastery of the pearl without price, and the momentum of their incredible kindness.

It is useful here to say a few words about the monk Cornelius. Just tonsured, he quickly began to paint the icon of our Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, in her arms her divine child, the Son and God, our Lord Jesus Christ. As befits the newly tonsured monk, he lived in piety, fear, and temperance, respecting the tradition of the Holy Father who commands to fast for forty days. Through the intercession of the Most Pure Mother of God, God gave him such a compunction that her tears flowed continuously while he painted the soft features and divine Queen of Heaven and His Son, the Most Sweet Jesus. He refrained from talking during work, our Protector, and prayed constantly to have mercy on him, that his work lead him to the monastery with all the joy and salvation. This compunction animated all his prayers, day and night. With the help of God and His Most Pure Mother, he finished the divine icon. The result was so beautiful, so unexpected, that he was surprised and seized with fear. He praised God and His Most Pure Mother for mercy. Before the end the period of forty days after the tonsure, the hieromonks the monastery could pick up the completed icon in his cell and bring merrily to church. Even today, when thinking of the time he painted this icon, her soul is filled with gentleness and joy.

It must therefore believe that this miraculous icon of the Most Holy Mother of God of Jerusalem was painted by a special effect of the providence of God and His All-Holy Mother. "

From 1711, Following a request from area residents who worshiped many, it became customary to bring the icon in the parish churches and among the inhabitants of the offices of thanksgiving. This custom was upheld in 1720 by Bishop Pitirim, Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod.

The first documented glorification of the holy icon was in 1781. On 22 December of that year, a large fire broke out at the monastery. He soon all buildings, especially the wooden church of Saint Nicolas and its bell tower. Then he reached the stone church dedicated the Holy Trinity and its bell tower, under the helpless eyes of brothers to control the raging elements. It was with horror they watched pieces the church burst into flames and go up in smoke. The fire gained throughout the building, exposing the holy icon to an inevitable destruction. Yet, although the fire had penetrated inside the church remains. The icons were damaged and covered with soot, puffy paints, but the icon Jerusalem was spared, residing as bright, clear and clean before. We could only watch on the wrist of the left hand of the All-Pure the blister from a burn, which subsided with time but still visible, as if to attest that the hand had suffered.

On July 4, 1859, at eleven o'clock, a fire broke out in a resident-Iourevets Poloski, called Alexander Lougovsky because of a careless worker. As a strong wind blowing at that time, the fire spread to the surrounding houses, and fourteen owners lost their homes and property. It seemed inevitable that the fire would win the other houses and three churches close, as the wind fanned the fire and threw off sparks. The roofs of some buildings is beginning to catch fire.

But now the Lord God was willing to show mercy to sinners. It was only this time the cathedral of the city hosted the precious icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem Monastery Krivoezersk. The inhabitants of Iourevets had indeed claimed the holy and venerable icon for a procession around the city. All resources deployed against the fire proving ineffective, residents petitioned the rector of the Cathedral to please drive icon on the premises. As we took it with all the honors due to him, the wind turned north-east to north-west and the sparks stopped raining on the city. The fire seemed to die down, we brought the icon to the cathedral. However, to everyone's surprise, the wind began to blow from the northwest, the fire flared up, and sparks again threatened the city. The people, measuring the miracle protection and intercession of the Mother of God, made back the holy icon. The tide turned again. This times the icon was kept on the premises until the fire was completely extinguished. The inhabitants of the city, all witnesses of the miracle, insisted that it was published, as a testimony for generations to come.

Intercession of the Mother of God was not limited to fires. It is also necessary during epidemics of cholera, which fell on Krivoezersk and its surroundings in 1848 and 1853. Wherever it was the holy icon, the contagion ceased, or the deadly effects disappeared. It was the same in the case of an epidemic, as the monastery than in villages. There were also cases of cures of patients, including two young girls who participated in processions with the miraculous icon.

The copy of the Russian monastery

St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos

This holy icon is in a Clad in glass, located above the royal doors of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God. Was wont make it down on occasion with the wide velvet ribbon embroidered on its Troparion which it is suspended, to be offered for veneration. It was painted in 1825 by the monastery Krivoezersky hierodeacon Nikon (Nile in full dress), who sent a gift to the monastery of St. Panteleimon in 1850.

on this icon, the All Holy Virgin holds the Infant God, our Lord Jesus Christ on His right arm, contemplating one who relies on it as on a throne of glory. The Lord blesses His right hand, fingers folded forming the letters IC. His left hand holds a roll. On the banks of the icon are represented St. Joachim and St. Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the back, one can find an inscription saying that the icon was painted by Hieromonk Nikon's monastery of St. Nil-de-la-Sora, who wanted, as a result of a special incentive of providence, bear witness his zeal for the Russian monastery of Panteleimon Anargyri and great martyr, and the benevolence of God and the All-Holy Mother of God.

When the icon came to the monastery, they sent a letter to Nikon hieromonk asking him to explain, if possible, How was this particular incentive. By letter dated December 12, 1852, Father Nikon says that thirty years ago, when he was still hierodeacon and lived in the desert Krivoezersk he had been impressed by the miracles of the icon of the monastery. He decided to paint an exact copy, except as regards dimensions. During the blessing of the icon, there was a sign, a self-fulfilling prophecy clearly, and subsequently, other manifestations of grace. Later, he left, according to the will of God, move to the monastery Saint-Nil, then almost deserted. The icon never left him. She served as a balm for the soul and the heart in tribulation. The grace of the icon would cure diseases, protect the fire ... He had never intended to part ways, but the providence of God and His All-Holy Mother had other plans. He prayed the fathers of the Monastery of St. Panteleimon to believe, and do not doubt that the icon they had been sent by God and the benevolence of the Queen of Heaven. He also asked that did not require him more details. However, so they do not feel offended, he added at the end of his letter the story of a dream he had had two months before sending the icon: "I seemed to see the Holy Mountain of Athos. I was beginning to climb the slopes, accompanied by a person who was my guide and claimed to have already traveled to Mount Athos. We approached a rocky escarpment, there is no word to say how difficult it was to make the ascent. My companion climbed with ease, and I fear and force only. However, until we reached a place where my guide became invisible. I suspect that this guide was none other than my old St. Nil of Sora. It seemed quite impossible to continue to climb on these rocks. The fear I won. I continued anyway and succeeded on a promontory where there was a church. My soul and my heart filled with joy, reverence and fear: I saw near the entrance of the church an extraordinarily beautiful woman, dressed in clothes as white as snow. His gaze was friendly and affectionate. She said she saw me: 'Fortunately, you have come quickly! " She then gave me a spoon on a white liquid like milk, ineffably sweet taste. " Take this, you need it, you're tired, "This Woman God then uttered the words untold and told me to send my holy icon at Russian monastery on Mount Athos. After sending the icon, all that the Sovereign had promised was fulfilled, the hermitage of the Monastery of St. Nil-de-la-Sora was declared independent, the church dedicated to Saint John the Forerunner on where had lived Saint Nile was finally consecrated after ten years of waiting, my desire to receive the full dress and remain near the said church in the cell of St. Nilus was filled, and many other things. " The letter ends with these words: "Glory, grandeur and honor to the Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God! "

At vigils of feasts of the Mother of God, we descend the holy icon with honor and celebrated a Akathist before her at the end of which the abbot and all the brothers worship, bow to the ground and ask to the Mother of God his help and intercession before her Son and our God.

Celebrating the holy icon October 12th.

Mom Made Me Wear Girdle

ENTRY OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE OF LIFE

HOMILY ON THE LORD AND THE HOLY RENCONTE ON THE PURIFICATION OF THE ALL-PURE VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD AND

(St. Dimitri of Rostov)

Forty days have elapsed after the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the time of purification imposed by the Act was gone, and the Virgin Mother, all pure and all-blessed , St. Joseph left Bethlehem with her fiance, carrying in her arms the Christ. She sailed for Jerusalem, to accomplish two ordinances of the Lord: be obtained by the prayers of the priest and the offering of a sacrifice to God, purification following the birth and spend her little firstborn child to the Lord by paying amount dictated by God to Moses.

Indeed, as mandated by the Act for the purification of the mother, when a woman is pregnant and bear a male, she shall be unclean for seven days. On the eighth day, the child shall be circumcised. It will still thirty-three days to purify his blood. Meanwhile, she shall touch no holy thing and will not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. When the days of her purifying are completed, it will provide a lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. If it was not enough to buy a lamb, it will take two doves or two young pigeons, one for the Holocaust, the other for a sin offering. The priest will pray for her and she is pure .

Upon presentation of the firstborn child to the Lord, it is said: Consecrate Me every male firstborn (...) You will give me the first of your son . This donation was prescribed to the Israelites in appreciation of great benefit received in Egypt, when God slew the firstborn of the Egyptians, but pardoned the firstborn of Israel. Since that time, the Israelites were driving their firstborn son to the temple to dedicate it to God as tribute legal, and He redeemed against a fixed amount, called ransom money. This money belongs to the Levites who officiated at the temple of the Lord. According to an established custom in the fourth book of Moses, the ransom money amounted to five shekels of the sanctuary, twenty gerahs the shekel (Nb.3, 47).

Thus, the Mother of God went to the temple to submit to the law of the Lord, carrying in her arms the Lawgiver Himself. Immaculate, undefiled, incorruptible, and all-pure, she came to ask purification, although it still had no need. How those who had conceived without pleasure and without the assistance of a husband, who gave birth without pain, which had preserved the virginal purity without being the bane of women in childbirth who gave birth to the Source of all purity, have could she be impure? In it Christ was born! The fruit is not tainted by the tree, the tree is not tainted by the fruit: the Holy Virgin remained pure and spotless after the birth of Christ, the blessed fruit. As he crossed the sunlight penetrates the crystal, without breaking nor tarnish. Even more, it enhances its purity. The Sun of Justice does not affect the virginity of his mother all-pure. The usual effusion of blood stained the door not sealed, the seal of purity. Exceeding the natural law, the Lord through that door, that kept the virginity, and rasped the purity and sanctified by His passage, flooding it with light divine grace.

The Word was God-given birth without corruption, no purification was necessary. However, that which is eternally pure and undefiled came the request to show himself in all things obedient to the law. Humility does not suffer from pride in his incorruptible purity. So as impure as the All Holy would stand in the place for new mothers, at the gates of the temple of the Lord. She waited there, without showing any contempt against impure or sinful.

She offered the sacrifice, not as rich, with a lamb a year, but as the poor, with a dove or two young pigeons, showing again, as elsewhere, humility and love of poverty. She pushed the pride of the rich, rewarding the poor and unfortunate gold of the Magi, keeping only the lower part to his trip to Egypt.

Having offered the pair of birds, she presented her first-born son to the Lord, calling to God what is God, under the Act. Kneeling before the Creator, she handed him the child with great respect: "Behold your Son, O Eternal Father, here whom you have sent down here to me that he incarnated for the salvation of men! Here's whom you have created without a mother before the ages, one that by Thy benevolence, I have given birth without a father at the end of time! Here is the first-born of my womb, the Son developed in me through Your Holy Spirit, and left me indescribably, as only you know! Here are my firstborn, He who thee here consubstantial, and, without beginning, returns only you alone, for He has come to you without leaving his divinity! Get this First-born with whom You created all things for centuries and made the light! Get Your Word, incarnate me, with whom You strengthened the heavens, founded the earth, and gathered the waters! Get Me Your Son for the purpose essential that you have arranged for him and for me as you know, to redeem His flesh and blood human race! .

Having uttered these words, the Virgin Mother filed his beloved child in the arms of the high priest, the representative of God, as the hands of God Himself. Then she bought for the price mentioned above, five shekels foreshadowing the five wounds that Christ suffered on the cross to redeem the world from the curse of the Law and the work of the enemy.

According to Saint Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Andrew of Crete, the Holy Prophet Zechariah, father of the Forerunner, seeing the all-pure Virgin and Child with advancing women's side impure for purification, placed among the virgins, where no wife should behave. The scribes and Pharisees were indignant at once, but Zachary resisted, claiming that Mother, in spite of childbirth, was still pure and untouched. Faced with skepticism, he recalled that if any creature is subject to the law nature, it is even more so by the Creator of this Act, who is to organize His creation by His powerful hands, and ensure, if it sees fit, a virgin birth and remains a virgin after childbirth. Therefore, he concluded he had not ruled out the all-holy Mother of range of virgins, she, the Virgin par excellence.

Of the meantime, here are just entering the temple, led by the Holy Spirit, San Simeon, an old upright and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel in the Messiah. Knowing the prophecy of the patriarch Jacob, he knew that Christ approached, since the scepter of Judah had fallen into the hands of Herod. In fact Jacob had prophesied that the scepter shall not depart from Judah, there comes the consolation of Israel, Christ the Lord. Moreover, here which had been ended the seventy weeks of Daniel, announcing the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would not taste death before they see the Lord's Christ. And indeed, when the old man noticed the all-pure Virgin and Child in his arms when he saw the grace of God that surrounded them both, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that had before him the expected Messiah. So he went eagerly to the hug. It is with joy unspeakable, with fear and reverence, he gave thanks to God. Then he sang, like the swan before death, crowned with his bleached hair long, " Now Master you may let your servant depart in peace according to Thy word! No peace was not living my thoughts. Every day I waited for Your coming praying. Now I've seen, and I found peace. It is free from all sorrow that I'm wearing the good news to my fathers. I'm Your report came into the world to Adam our forefather, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and other fathers, the holy prophets. I'll dump a joy unspeakable to those who until now had known nothing but sadness! Let me go quickly, so that they rejoice in Thee, their Deliverer! Let from Thy servant who longs rest in the bosom of Abraham, after his long years of hard work! I have seen Your salvation prepared for all men! My eyes have seen the light to hunt for darkness, to lighten the Gentiles by the revelation of divine mysteries still unknown. My eyes have seen the Light which burst for the glory of Thy people Israel! As promised in Thy Name the prophet Isaiah: I will put My hello in Zion and My glory over Israel ! "

Hearing the words of the holy and righteous old man uttered the Child, the Bridegroom Joseph and the Virgin Most Pure marveled. Simeon spoke to the child as an old man, he prayed as we pray the God who rules over life and death, which can immediately let an old man from the next life, or detain him in this.

After his speech, Simeon blesses the child, then he glorified and praised this all-immaculate Mother, whom he had been given birth to the God-Man. It also magnified Joseph, foster father, and worthy servant of such a mystery. Contemplating the discerning eyes of his Mother Unwedded, that she, not Joseph, he said: "This is He who is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel. The fall of those who will not believe His words, and rehabilitation of those who receive His holy love with preaching. The fall of the scribes and Pharisees blind malice of sinners and recovery simple and ignorant. Here is one who chooses the foolish to confound the wise of this world, which will cause the downfall of the synagogue of the Jews of the Old Covenant and instituted the Church of Grace. Whoever is here is a sign of contradiction. We deliver a lot of judgments on him. Some say the good, the others accused him of deceiving the people. It will, as said the prophet Jeremiah, a target for the arrows. We hang on the cross, the nails and the spear wound him. And you yourself, O Mother Unwedded, the sword of sorrow will pierce your soul and your heart when you see your Son nailed to the Cross. It is with great sorrow of heart and strength that you will accompany crying at the door of this world The one you children without suffering for the good of humanity. "

But here at this time was in the temple, the prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, widow advanced in years. She had only lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and after her widowhood, she had spent every day of his life in the temple to please God, serving Him day and night in fasting and prayer, until his eighty-four. Who also came to attend the Holy Encounter, she prophesied that on this small child had to drive to the temple of the Lord, speaking to everyone who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Witnesses all these wonders, the scribes and Pharisees were angry. They reproached Zechariah have violated the Act by placing a mother who came to ask the purification in the space reserved for virgins. They also harbored resentment against Simeon and Anna for their testimony about Child, so they were unable to silence, and went to tell Herod what had happened at the temple. This was soon find that Christ, the Divine Child for the kill. But it was impossible to find because, on an order from above, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, which he took the Child and the Mother of God, and brought them to Egypt, after a detour through their city of Nazareth in Galilee. L'Enfant, meanwhile, grew and became strong in spirit and in wisdom and grace of God was upon Him.

The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord was introduced the reign of Emperor Justinian. The event was celebrated by the Church before, but in a less solemn. It is this pious emperor who ordered the register among the great feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God. Here's how this happened ...

the reign of Justinian, Constantinople and the surrounding areas experienced an outbreak of plague that lasted several months. The disease appeared in early October. Initially, there were daily between five and ten thousand deaths. It was impossible to bury all the corpses, even those people rich and honorable, as the servants also died. At Antioch, God's punishment was more terrible still. A fever was added for the sins of men, a devastating earthquake that struck down the great houses, tall buildings, and numerous churches . A multitude of people perished under the rubble. The bishop of the city died in the ruins of his cathedral. Pompéopolis in Mysia also was destroyed, and all its inhabitants swallowed by the earth. In these terrible times of death and destruction, a man pleasing to God was the revelation that it was appropriate to celebrate Hypapante, that is to say Meeting of the Blessed Lord, among the other major feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God.

When it came on Feb. 2, the day of the Holy Encounter, was celebrated vigils. As we came out the cross in procession the plague ceased, and with it the earthquake. It praised the very mercy of God and the prayers of His all-pure Mother.

to Christ our God be rendered praise and worship and His Mother, honor and gratitude, for ever and ever, amen!