Month: October 2021

Holy Unmercenaries and Wonder-workers, visit our infirmities. Freely you received; freely give to us.

Hymn of Ss. Cosmas and Damian

The Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian and their mother Saint Theodota were natives of Asia Minor (some sources say Mesopotamia). Their pagan father died while they were still quite small children. Their mother raised them in Christian piety. Through her own example, and by reading holy books to them, Saint Theodota preserved her children in purity of life according to the command of the Lord, and Cosmas and Damian grew up into righteous and virtuous men.

Trained and skilled as physicians, they received from the Holy Spirit the gift of healing people’s illnesses of body and soul by the power of prayer. They even treated animals. With fervent love for both God and neighbor, they never took payment for their services. They strictly observed the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Freely have you received, freely give.” (Mt. 10:8). The fame of Saints Cosmas and Damian spread throughout all the surrounding region, and people called them unmercenary physicians.

Once, the saints were summoned to a grievously ill woman named Palladia, whom all the doctors had refused to treat because of her seemingly hopeless condition. Through faith and through the fervent prayer of the holy brothers, the Lord healed the deadly disease and Palladia got up from her bed perfectly healthy and giving praise to God. In gratitude for being healed and wishing to give them a small gift, Palladia went quietly to Damian. She presented him with three eggs and said, “Take this small gift in the Name of the Holy Life-Creating Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Hearing the Name of the Holy Trinity, the unmercenary one did not dare to refuse.

When Saint Cosmas learned what had happened, became very sad, for he thought that his brother had broken their strict vow. On his deathbed he gave instructions that his brother should not be buried beside him. Saint Damian also died shortly afterward, and everyone wondered where Saint Damian’s grave should be. But through the will of God a miracle occurred. A camel, which the saints had treated for its wildness, spoke with a human voice saying that they should have no doubts about whether to place Damian beside Cosmas, because Damian did not accept the eggs from the woman as payment, but out of respect for the Name of God. The venerable relics of the holy brothers were buried together at Thereman (Mesopotamia).

Many miracles were worked after the death of the holy unmercenaries. There lived at Thereman, near the church of Cosmas and Damian, a certain man by the name of Malchus. One day he went on a journey, leaving his wife all alone for what would be a long time. He prayerfully entrusted her to the heavenly protection of the holy brothers. But the Enemy of the race of mankind took on the appearance of one of Malchus’ friends, and planned to kill the woman. A certain time went by, and this man went to her at home and said that Malchus had sent him to bring her to him. The woman believed him and went along. He led her to a solitary place intending to kill her. The woman, seeing that disaster threatened her, called upon God with deep faith.

Two fiercesome men then appeared, and the devil let go of the woman and fled, falling off a cliff. The two men led the woman home. At her own home, bowing to them deeply she asked, “My rescuers, to whom I shall be grateful to the end of my days, what are your names?”

They replied, “We are the servants of Christ, Cosmas and Damian,” and became invisible. The woman with trembling and with joy told everyone about what had happened to her. Glorifying God, she went up to the icon of the holy brothers and tearfully offered prayers of thanksgiving for her deliverance. And from that time the holy brothers were venerated as protectors of the holiness and inviolability of Christian marriage, and as givers of harmony to conjugal life.

The Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia Minor should not be confused with the Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome (July 1), or the Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian of Arabia (October 17).

Source: (OCA)

Seeing the sky become very dark, and the earth begin to quake, the rocks breaking apart, and the veil of the Temple torn in two, during the divine Passion of Christ, the Martyr acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, who was suffering out of compassion, although impassible in His divinity and glory, and sustaining and preserving all creation, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for He is true God and King. Therefore, with joy Longinus cried out, “O Christ my Savior, You are my foundation and might.”

Oikos Hymn of St. Longinus the Centurion

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For some, but not for all, we have the life stories of people we read about in the Bible. Within the pages of Scripture, contemporary figures came and went, people were mentioned and forgotten – often times overlooked completely. So many of the people who encountered Christ first-hand remain nameless.  But there are a select few, who went on to celebrate very public ministries for the sake of the Gospel and and to witness the resurrected Christ. One such individual is St. Longinus, the Centurion. Like many others of whom we read, he stood at the foot of the Cross and beheld God, Himself! However, he did not anonymously fade into history. Tomorrow, October 16th is his Feast Day. Please read the following account of his life. In so doing, the Bible becomes that much more personal, the human element of those mentioned is greatly appreciated, and the lives of the Saints take on a more brilliant vibrancy. 

“The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of the holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final moments of the earthly life of the Lord, and of the great and awesome portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion’s soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mt. 27:54).

According to Church Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the Crucified Savior with a spear, and received healing from an eye affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound.

After the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood watch with his company at the Sepulcher of the Lord. These soldiers were present at the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and say that His disciples had stolen away the Body of Christ, but Longinus and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection.

Having come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the apostles and decided to leave military service. Saint Longinus left Judea to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land (Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him.

The fiery words of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades. When the soldiers arrived at Longinus’s village, the former centurion himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking. Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the startled soldiers to carry out their duty.

The soldiers wanted to let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where the saints were martyred. The head of Saint Longinus, however, was sent to Pilate. Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr’s head on a trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while a certain blind widow from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy places, and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts were in vain.

The woman’s son became ill shortly after reaching Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss of her son, who had served as her guide.

Saint Longinus appeared to her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son in heavenly glory, and also receive her sight. He told her to go outside the city walls and there she would find his head in a great pile of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr’s head, the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and Saint Longinus.

Taking up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it. The next night, Saint Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and Saint Longinus said, “Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son’s body, and bury them in the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever in great glory and happiness.”

The woman carried out the saint’s instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There she buried her son and the head of Saint Longinus. Once, she had been overcome by grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw him with Saint Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes, and also received healing of her soul.” 

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Source: www.oca.org/saints/lives/2012/10/16/102980-martyr-longinus-the-centurion-who-stood-at-the-cross-of-the-lord

O Word of the Father from before the ages, Who, being in the form of God, brought creation into being out of nothing; You Who put the times and seasons in Your own power: Bless the crown of the year with Your goodness; give peace unto Your churches, victory unto Your faithful hierarchs, fruitfulness unto the earth, and Great Mercy unto us.

Matins of the Indiction (Ecclesiastical New Year)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are blessed to live in one of the most spectacularly beautiful regions of our great nation. Look up to the Wasatch Mountain Range. Now that the smoke from California fires has been replaced with the mysterious and quick-moving clouds of thunder storms, we witness God’s splendor, creativity, and absolute awesomeness spread across the eastern sky.

The colors on Mt. Olympus and her accompanying cast of characters are changing rapidly. The brilliance of God’s command is exhibited to us through a pallet of which only He could have devised. The textures, shadows, colors and crispness of Autumn is unique among the seasons. Fall is my favorite season. Perhaps its the start of the school year. Maybe its the change in the weather. Could be the beautiful colors on the mountains, in our neighborhoods, and lining the roads. Probably football. At any rate, I love the beauty, experience and the very idea of Autumn.

In 3 Ecclesiastes we read, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” As the snow flies, we hunker down, replenish (hopefully) our water supplies, and enjoy the vast array of winter sports here in Utah. Springtime is renewal, anticipation, emergence and life. The summer months refresh our spirits, bring us together and permit us the time to reconnect. In Autumn, as the brightly-hewn leaves fall to the ground, our kids go back to “work,” the cycle of activities intensifies and while nature is going to sleep, society is roaring into second or  third gear. 

God is timeless. He knows no seasons. He does not ebb or flow. He does not rise or fall. He does not circle in orbit. He created the natural order for our benefit, but is not subject to it. So the celebration of the changing of the seasons is knowing that God is there all the while. Listening to our prayers. Granting our petitions. Shielding us from misguided requests.

Speaking to us through His saints, his angels, His eternal Logos made Incarnate. 

In the seasons, and in our spiritual lives, every aspect of reality flow into each other and co-exist in perfect harmony. While springtime may be well removed form autumn: death and life, darkness and light, warmth and coldness are not binary opposites; opposed to each other through means of conflict. Through Christ, death no longer has dominion. Physical death is simply the opportunity to await the glory of His eternal tomorrow. As the beautiful leaves fall, the tree sleeps. Only to emerge again in the glorious splendor of differing adornments. 

As we have entered into the Fall Season, please take the opportunity for spiritual renewal and  growth. The sacred services of the church are plentiful during this time of year. The social and educational programs of our parish are currently on the rise. And yes, our opportunities to illustrate our financial commitment to the ministries, programs and facilities of our parish are discussed now, more than any other time of year. 

St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church is alive! It experiences seasons. It cycles in and out of the daily lives of our people just as the sun rises and falls, and the days grow long and short. Please, always continue to make our Lord Jesus Christ as the center of our every purpose. 

Seasons change. Cycles continue.  In it all, there is Christ, Who indeed, “brought creation into being out of nothing.”

Fr. Anthony Savas

Protopresbyter