The first day of the Church New Year is also called the beginning of the Indiction. The term Indiction comes from a Latin word meaning, “to impose.” It was originally applied to the imposition of taxes in Egypt. The first worldwide Indiction was in 312 when the Emperor Constantine (May 21) saw a miraculous vision of the Cross in the sky. Before the introduction of the Julian calendar, Rome began the New Year on September 1.
According to Holy Tradition, Christ entered the synagogue on September 1 to announce His mission to mankind (Luke 4:16-22). Quoting Isaiah 61:1-2, the Savior proclaimed, “The spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord...” This scene is depicted in a Vatican manuscript (Vatican, Biblioteca. Cod. Gr. 1613, p.1).
Tradition says that the Hebrews entered the Promised Land in September.
Saint Simeon Stylites, the Elder
Saint Simeon the Stylite was born in the Cappadocian village of Sisan of Christian parents, Sisotian and Martha. At thirteen years of age he began to tend his father’s flock of sheep. He devoted himself attentively and with love to this, his first obedience.
Once, after he heard the Beatitudes in church, he was struck by their profundity. Not trusting to his own immature judgment, he turned therefore with his questions to an experienced Elder. The Elder readily explained to the boy the meaning of what he had heard. The seed fell on good soil, and it strengthened his resolve to serve God.
When Simeon was eighteen, he received monastic tonsure and devoted himself to feats of the strictest abstinence and unceasing prayer. His zeal, beyond the strength of the other monastic brethren, so alarmed the igumen that he told Simeon that to either moderate his ascetic deeds or leave the monastery.
Saint Simeon then withdrew from the monastery and lived in an empty well in the nearby mountains, where he was able to carry out his austere struggles unhindered. After some time, angels appeared in a dream to the igumen, who commanded him to bring back Simeon to the monastery.
The monk, however, did not long remain at the monastery. After a short while he settled into a stony cave, situated not far from the village of Galanissa, and he dwelt there for three years, all the while perfecting himself in monastic feats. Once, he decided to spend the entire forty days of Great Lent without food or drink. With the help of God, the monk endured this strict fast. From that time he abstained from food completely during the entire period of the Great Lent, even from bread and water. For twenty days he prayed while standing, and for twenty days while sitting, so as not to permit the corporeal powers to relax.
A whole crowd of people began to throng to the place of his efforts, wanting to receive healing from sickness and to hear a word of Christian edification. Shunning worldly glory and striving again to find his lost solitude, the monk chose a previously unknown mode of asceticism. He went up a pillar six to eight feet high, and settled upon it in a little cell, devoting himself to intense prayer and fasting.
Reports of Saint Simeon reached the highest church hierarchy and the imperial court. Patriarch Domninos II (441-448) of Antioch visited the monk, celebrated Divine Liturgy on the pillar and communed the ascetic with the Holy Mysteries.
Elders living in the desert heard about Saint Simeon, who had chosen a new and strange form of ascetic striving. Wanting to test the new ascetic and determine whether his extreme ascetic feats were pleasing to God, they sent messengers to him, who in the name of these desert fathers were to bid Saint Simeon to come down from the pillar.
In the case of disobedience they were to forcibly drag him to the ground. But if he was willing to submit, they were to leave him on his pillar. Saint Simeon displayed complete obedience and deep Christian humility. The monks told him to stay where he was, asking God to be his helper.
Saint Simeon endured many temptations, and he invariably gained the victory over them. He relied not on his own weak powers, but on the Lord Himself, Who always came to help him. The monk gradually increased the height of the pillar on which he stood. His final pillar was 80 feet in height. Around him a double wall was raised, which hindered the unruly crowd of people from coming too close and disturbing his prayerful concentration.
Women, in general, were not permitted beyond the wall. The saint did not make an exception even for his own mother, who after long and unsuccessful searches finally succeeded in finding her lost son. He would not see her, saying, “If we are worthy, we shall see one another in the life to come.” Saint Martha submitted to this, remaining at the foot of the pillar in silence and prayer, where she finally died. Saint Simeon asked that her coffin be brought to him. He reverently bid farewell to his dead mother, and a joyful smile appeared on her face.
Saint Simeon spent 80 years in arduous monastic feats, 47 years of which he stood upon the pillar. Many pagans accepted Baptism, struck by the moral staunchness and bodily strength which the Lord bestowed upon His servant.
The first one to learn of the death of the saint was his close disciple Anthony. Concerned that his teacher had not appeared to the people for three days, he went up on the pillar and found the dead body stooped over at prayer. Patriarch Martyrius of Antioch performed the funeral before a huge throng of clergy and people. They buried him near his pillar. At the place of his ascetic deeds, Anthony established a monastery, upon which rested the special blessing of Saint Simeon.
We pray to Saint Simeon for the return to the Church of those who have forsaken Her, or have been separated from Her.
Venerable Martha, mother of Saint Simeon Stylites
Saint Martha lived in Cilicia of Asia Minor during the fourth and fifth centuries, and came from a poor family. She and her husband Sisotion were the parents of Saint Simeon the Stylite.
At the age of eighteen, Simeon received the monastic tonsure without his parents’ knowledge. Many years later, Martha came to the saint’s pillar in order to see him. Simeon sent word to her not to come, for if they were worthy, they would see each other in the life to come. Martha insisted on seeing him, and he had someone tell her to wait for a while in silence. Saint Martha agreed to this, and waited at the foot of the hill where her son’s pillar stood. There she departed to the Lord.
When he heard that his mother had died, Saint Simeon ordered that her body be brought to the foot of his pillar. He prayed over his mother’s body for some time shedding many tears, and witnesses said that a smile appeared on Saint Martha’s face.
Martyr Aithalas of Persia
The Holy Martyr Aithalas the Deacon, by order of the Persian emperor Sapor II, was put to death by stoning in the year 380 for confessing Christ.
Holy Forty Women Martyrs and Martyr Ammon the Deacon, their teacher, at Heraclea in Thrace
These holy women lived at Adrianople in Thrace during the reign of Emperor Licinius, who was coruler with Saint Constantine the Great (May 21). Babdos, the ruler of the region (circa 305) arrested them as Christians and tried to force them to worship idols. A certain woman named Kelsίna, was a prominent citizen. After her courageous confession of the Faith she gathered them all in her home, along with their teacher, Deacon Ammoun (Ammoún), in order to strengthen them for martyrdom. Ammoun took a paper with their names on it and read them aloud one by one. Then he said: "Strive for Christ through martyrdom, for in this way the Master Christ at the gate of the heavenly Kingdom will call you by name, one by one, in order to bestow upon you a crown of eternal life."
When the ruler interrogated them again, all of the Martyrs steadfastly confessed their faith. They prayed to God, and shattered the idols, then suddenly the pagan priest was lifted up into the air by an invisible force, and after being tormented for a long time, he fell to the ground dead. Then Babdos ordered Saint Ammoun to be suspended in order to rake his sides, and burn his wounds with lit candles, and then a red-hot bronze helmet was placed on his head, but miraculously the Holy Martyr was delivered from them.
Since the Saint was unharmed by his ordeal, he was led along with his disciples from Veroe [modern Stara Zagora (Stára Zagorá) in Bulgaria] to Heraclea, and brought to the ruler Licinius. On the way the Lord appeared and encouraged them. Arriving in the city they went to the place where the holy relics of the Virgin Martyr Glykerίa (May 13) were buried. While they spent the night there praying, the Saint appeared and said: "Welcome, holy servants of God! I have long awaited your glorious companions in Christ, so that we might dance crowned with the Holy Angels in Christ's Kingdom, Whom we have confessed unto blood."
Saint Ammoun and the Holy Virgins were taken to Heraclea (Ηράκλεια) to face further torments. There they were thrown to the wild beasts. The holy women and their teacher prayed standing with upraised hands, but the animals fell asleep and did not touch them. While the soldiers were lighting a fire in which to throw the Martyrs, they predicted to the impious Licinius the victory of Saint Constantine the Great, the triumph of Christianity, and the eradication of idolatry. Then they were sealed with the Sign of the Cross. Ten of them leaped into the flames rejoicing and praising God, Who bedewed the fire. Another eight were beheaded with a sword along with their teacher Ammoun. Another ten were executed after being stabbed in the heart with a sword, or after red-hot irons had been put into their mouths. Six more were also slaughtered, and the remaining six departed to the Lord in peace.
Their names have been preserved in their ancient Martyrion (Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca 2280-2281): Laurencia (Λαυρεντία) the Deaconess, Kelsίna, (Κελσίνα), Theoktisti (Theoktistē/Theókleia), Dorothy (Δωροθέα), Eutykhiani (Eutykhianē/Ευτυχιανή), Thekla (Θέκλα), Aristainete (Αρισταινέτη), Philadelphi (Philadḗlphē/Φιλαδέλφη), Maria, Veronica (Βερονίκη), Eulalia, or Euthymia (Eulalίa/Ευλαλία η Euthymίa/Ευθυμία), Lamprotati (Lamprotátē/Λαμπροτάτη), Euphymίa (Ευφημία), Theodora, Theodótē (Θεοδότη), Tetesia (Τετεσία), Aquilina, Theodoule (Θεοδούλη), Aplodora (Aplodóra/Απλοδώρα), Lampadί]ia (Lampadίa/Λαμπαδία), Prokopia (Prokopίa/Προκοπία), Maura (Maúra/Μαύρα), Paula (Παύλα), Juliana (Ιουλιάνα), Ampliani (Amplianḗ/Αμπλιανή), Persis (Persίs/Περσίς), Gregoria (Gregorίa/Γρηγορία), Κuriα, or Kyriaivi (Κυρία/Κυρία η Kyriaίvē/Κυριαίνη), Vassa (Βάσσα), Kalliniki (Kallinίkē/Καλλινίκη), Barbara (Βαρβάρα), Kyriaki (Kyriakḗ/Κυριακή), Agathoniki (Agathonίkē/Αγαθονίκη), Timothea (Timothḗa/Τιμοθέα), Justa (Ιούστα), Irene (Ειρήνη), Matrona (Matróna/Ματρώνα) or Agathonike, Agathonίkē/Αγαθονίκη), Tatiana (Τατιανή), Anna, or Anthousa (Άννα η Anthoúsa/Ανθούσα).
As far as the names of the 40 Holy Virgins are concerned, we must use caution, because some of their names, e.g. Khaido (Khaϊdo/Χάϊδω), Lambro (Λάμπρω) etc., belong to the later centuries (XVI– XVIII), and not to those of the IV century, when the Saints were martyred.
Many will be surprised to notice the names of pagan and mythological figures listed here. However, The Holy Passion-Bearers, Saints Boris and Gleb, were the sons of Saint Vladimir (July 15). Saint Boris was named Romanos and Saint Gleb was named David at their Baptism. After their martyrdom, their former names were sanctified. It is reasonable to assume that the same thing occurred with the Holy Virgin Martyrs of the IV century.
Martyrs Callista and her brothers, Evodius and Hermogenes, at Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Callista and her brothers Evodus and Hermogenes, with other Christians of Nicomedia, were brought to trial before the pagan governor for confessing their faith in Christ. Refusing to offer sacrifice to idols, they were cut down by the sword.
Righteous Joshua, son of Nun (Navi)
Saint Joshua (Jesus), the son of Navi, was leader of the Israelites after the death of the Prophet Moses. He was born in Egypt around 1654 B.C. and succeeded Moses when he was eighty-five. He ruled the Israelites for twenty-five years.
Joshua conquered the Promised Land, and led the Hebrew nation into it. The Lord worked a great miracle through Joshua. He stopped the Jordan from flowing, allowing the Israelites to cross over on foot as if on dry land (Joshua 3). Saint Michael, the Leader of the Heavenly Hosts, appeared to Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15).
The walls of Jericho fell down by themselves after the Ark of the Covenant was carried around the city for seven days (Joshua 6:20). Finally, during a battle with the enemy, Joshua, by God’s will, halted the motion of the sun (Joshua 10:13) and prolonged the day until victory was won.
After the end of the war, Joshua divided the Promised Land among the Twelve Tribes of Israel. He died at 110 years of age (1544 B.C.), commanding the nation to preserve the Law of Moses. All these events are recounted in the Book of Joshua, the sixth book of the Old Testament.
Finding of the Icon of the Mother of God at the Miasena Monastery
The Miasena Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was thrown into Lake Zagura in the ninth century in an effort to save it from the iconoclasts. After a long time, the wonderworking icon emerged from the water unharmed and was brought to the Miasena Monastery.
“Chernigov-Gethsemane” Icon of the Mother of God
The Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God is a copy of the famed Ilyin-Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God (April 16), which was to be found at the Trinity-Ilyin monastery near Chernigov on Mount Boldina, and where in the eleventh century Saint Anthony of the Kiev Caves struggled in asceticism.
Saint Demetrius of Rostov described the miracles of this icon in his book THE BEDEWED FLEECE. He wrote in conclusion: “The end of the booklet, but not of the miracles of the Most Holy Theotokos, for who can count them?” The grace-bearing power of this icon is manifest also in its copies.
The Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God was painted in the mid-eighteenth century and was passed on to the Trinity Sergiev Lavra in 1852 by Alexandra Grigorievna Philippova, who piously kept it for a quarter century. (This icon was given to her by the priest John Alekseev, who received it in turn from one of the monks of the Trinity Sergiev Lavra.)
On the advice of the head of the Lavra, Archimandrite Anthony (+ May 1, 1877), the icon was placed in the newly-consecrated cave church named for Saint Michael, Leader of the Heavenly Hosts, which was consecrated on October 27, 1851 by Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow (November 19), who assumed an active role in the building of the Gethsemane skete.
In this manner, the icon took in the currents of grace of all the history of the Russian Church, it acquired the blessing of Saint Anthony of the Caves, of Saint Sergius of Radonezh and of his parents Saints Cyril and Maria (September 28), and finally, of the ascetics of the nineteenth century. These spiritual connections providentially come forth through the Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon of the Mother of God.
It is remarkable that the first miracle of this icon was witnessed on the day of the Church New Year, September 1, 1869, when the twenty-eight-year-old peasant of Tula governance, Thekla Adrianova, was healed, after being completely crippled for nine years.
Living at the hostel by the caves, and then at the Lavra during the celebration of the Repose of Saint Sergius (September 25), Thekla recovered completely. Saint Innocent the Metropolitan of Moscow (October 6 and March 31), learned of the miracle from his daughter the nun Polyxeni, treasurer of the Borisov wilderness monastery. On the feast of Saint Sergius, he himself met with Thekla and asked her about the details of the healing. On September 26, 1869 Saint Innocent arrived at the Gethsemane skete and gave the blessing for a Molieben to be served before the glorified icon, while he himself prayed with tears.
By September 26 three healings had occurred already, and a whole series of miracles in November of that same year. The fame of the icon of the Mother of God spread with unusual swiftness. Exhausted by suffering and sickness, thirsting for bodily and spiritual healing, people from every class of society came with firm faith to the wonderworking icon, and the mercy of God did not forsake them.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, more than 100 miracles had been recorded. By its great esteem the icon benefited the ascetics of the Gethsemane skete: the schemamonk Philip (+ May 18, 1868), the founder of the cave monastery, and his three sons, the hieroschemamonks Ignatius (+ 1900), Porphyrius (+ 1905 ?) and Basil (+ April 1, 1915). They preserved accounts of the deep love, which the hieromonk Elder Isidore (+ February 3, 1908) displayed for the Chernigov-Gethsemane Icon.
The initial celebration of the icon was established on April 16, on the day when Ilyin-Cherigov icon was celebrated. Later, it was transferred to September 1, the day of its glorification. At the present time there are copies of the Chernigov-Gethsemane icon at Trinity-Sergiev Lavra. They are found in the temple of Saint Sergius, in the monastery trapeza, and in the portico of the Trinity cathedral, painted by Elders of the Gethsemane skete and the Zosimov wilderness monastery.
Saint Meletius the New
Saint Meletius the New was born in Cappadocia in 1035. Many people regarded him as an imbecile, but God “hath made foolish the wisdom of this world” (I Cor. 1:20), and it has also pleased Him “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Cor. 1:21). So the Lord used the saint to draw many souls to Himself.
Saint Meletius was given the gift of prophecy, and performed many miracles. He built a monastery on Mt. Cytheron in Boeotia in central Greece, which was named for him.
After living as a hermit for many years, Saint Meletius fell asleep in the Lord on Mt. Cytheron in 1105.
“All Blessed” Icon of the Mother of God
(New Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior) The original “All Blessed” (Pammakaristos) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is in Constantinople in the patriarchal cathedral. It is a mosaic icon dating from the middle of the eleventh century.
In 1905, Patriarch Joachim III presented a copy of the icon to the city of Kazan in Russia.
