Kazan Mother of God: The Icon That Saved a Life

This icon of the “Kazan” Mother of God with the words partially worn away in Latin letters, “Eta ikona budet hranit was wsu schizn,” adorns the Church of the Joy of All Who Sorrow in St. Petersburg. One of the church’s parishioners told its amazing story.

One day, an old woman came into the church and waved her arms when she saw the Kazan icon of the Mother of God.

“Where did that icon come from? I gave it to a German soldier!” She exclaimed in amazement. I recognize it by a characteristic dent in the frame.” I explained that this icon was given to the church by the German Consulate in our city. The woman broke into tears, said that her name was Vera, and told the story of how her Orthodox family icon ended up in Germany.

“I fled my native village, which ended up in the center of the battles. I wanted to leave with my sister and three children earlier, but mama fell seriously ill, and wouldn’t have survived the journey. ‘I will come later,’ I promised my sister, sending her with the children to a place near Ryazan, where our aunt lived in a collective farm village. Mama died a month later, but before her death was able to bless me with the family icon of the “Kazan” Mother of God. My reposed grandfather in his time had blessed my mother before her wedding, and mama blessed Sasha and me with it fifteen years ago, even though my husband was in the Komsomol. Now the icon lay in my threadbare refugee bag. I myself sat down under the awning of one of the station freight houses, watching the crazy dance of whirling snow. I couldn’t think about anything; I only tried to shove my fingers into the narrow sleeves of a light overcoat. Cold and hunger—that was all I could feel. Now a train rumbled up to the station, the doors of the cars opened, and the Fritzes stood in ranks handing long boxes along to each other. ‘They’ve brought weapons,’ the indifferent thought crossed my mind. But then suddenly I felt a painful stab: “It’s going to the front! Where my Sasha is fighting! They will shoot at him with those rifles, and at other Russian soldiers… Oh, the cursed ones!’

“It is strange, but the German patrols paid no attention to me, a lonely woman, emaciated with hunger. I don’t even remember when I had eaten last. I had long ago traded my watch, wedding ring, and mama’s earrings for food. I ran my hand over the brass frame behind the frosty cloth of the bag. ‘O Intercessor, Most Holy Mother of God!’ I whispered with my frozen lips. ‘Save and guard my little ones, my sister Nadya. Save and guard my husband, slave of God, soldier Alexander.’

“’Vat? Somzing wrong?’ came the words just above my ear. I raised my head. Next to the bench stood a German soldier. I could feel sympathy in his words, and answered, “It’s bad.” The German sat down next to me. He set his bulging knapsack on the ground, fished around in it for a bit, then held out his hand. ‘Nimmt!’ There was a square piece of bread on which a slice of lard lay all pink. I took the gift and devoured it. The German pulled out a thermos, poured some steaming tea into the lid, and said, ‘Heiss! Gut!’ Probably he was part of the watch here at the station. He looked about twenty years old, blue-eyed. His face was guileless. Probably his hair was light colored, like my son’s, Andreika’s, only you couldn’t see it under his cap.

“The German pointed to the train engine, then at me, and comically furrowing his brow, apparently trying to find the word, asked, ‘Far?’ “Far! Now I won’t make it there!’ I immediately started telling him that I had hoped to go to my aunt’s but was now left without anything. Ending my story I said, ‘I have children there. Kinder. Understand? I traced with my hands, from high to low. The lad nodded, ‘Oh, ja, Kinder!’ ‘But I won’t reach them. I’ll just freeze.’ I wasn’t even aware that I was crying. The German again reached into his knapsack and pulled out a weighty package. ‘Here. Take.” He opened the package and touched its contents, then licked his finger and said, ‘Gut!’ There was salt in the package. Salt… which was then worth more than gold. For salt you could get bread, milk, well, anything… There was no less than three kilograms in the package. And here he was just handing it over to me, a completely unknown Russian woman. Seeing the shock on my face, the lad smiled and said something I didn’t understand. Then he rose, screwed the lid onto his thermos, put it back in the knapsack, waved his hand, and left.

“’Stop!’ I ran after the soldier. “Was ist es? ‘This icon will guard you all your life,’ I said with firm assurance. He didn’t understand. Again I said, ‘This icon will guard you all your life!’ The lad pulled a chemical pencil out of his pocket, wetted it with spittle, and turning over the board asked me to say it again. As I repeated it slowly, syllable by syllable, he wrote it down on the back of the icon in Latin letters: ‘Eta ikona budet hranit was wsu schizn’. We never met again… But I was able to trade the salt for warm clothes, felt boots, and bread, and I reached Ryazan. In ’45 my husband, Sasha, returned from the war.”

After listening attentively to the agitated woman, I joyfully told her that what we had heard from the representatives at the German consulate who had given the Kazan icon to our church. That German soldier went through the entire war. His comrades died before his eyes; once a truck that he was riding in exploded, but he was able to jump out of it only a moment before the explosion. The rest perished. At the end of the war, a shell hit their dugout, which he had abandoned just a twinkling before. The unseen power of the Russian icon had surely saved him. He now understood and reevaluated very much his life, and his soul opened up to prayer. He returned home, married, and raised his children. He placed the icon in a beautiful glass case in a place of honor in his home, and prayed before it all his life. When he grew old, he commanded his oldest son to take the icon to the Russian consulate after his death. “This icon lived in Russia and should return there. Let them take it to Leningrad, the city that withstood the blockade, dying from cold and hunger, but not surrendering.”

That is how in the mid 1990’s, to one of the newly-reopened churches of St. Petersburg, where the rector at the time was Archpriest Alexander Chistyakov, came the small icon of the “Kazan” Mother of God with a strange inscription in Latin letters on the back.

Irina Blinova

Translation by OrthoChristian.com

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Christ the King / Reign of Christ

According to the reckoning of the Western liturgical calendar, this Sunday is known as “Reign of Christ” Sunday (also known as “Christ the King”) and is considered the final week in the church’s liturgical calendar. The cycle of lectionary readings begins again the next week with the first Sunday of Advent. This festival was established in 1925 by decree of Pope Pius XI. Originally it took place on the last Sunday in October, just prior to All Saints’ Day. Now it is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Western liturgical year, a week before the season of Advent begins.

The day centers on the crucified and risen Christ, whom God exalted to rule over the whole universe. The celebration of the lordship of Christ thus looks back to Ascension, Easter, and Transfiguration, and points ahead to the appearing in glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Christ reigns supreme. Christ’s truth judges falsehood. As the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Christ is the center of the universe, the ruler of all history, the judge of all people. In Christ all things began, and in Christ all things will be fulfilled. In the end, Christ will triumph over the forces of evil.

Such concepts as these cluster around the affirmation that Christ is King or Christ reigns! When I reflect on the themes of “Reign of Christ” Sunday, the image that comes to my mind is our classic Eastern Orthodox icon of Christ the Pantocrator. The word “Pantocrator” is often translated as “All-powerful,” and prayerfully meditating on this icon evokes a powerful sense of Christ reigning in glory.

As sovereign ruler, Christ calls us to a loyalty that transcends every earthly claim on the human heart. To Christ alone belongs the supreme allegiance in our lives. Christ alone has the right to claim our highest loyalty. The blood of martyrs, past and present, witnesses to this truth. Behold the glory of the eternal Christ! From the beginning of time to its ending, Christ rules above all earthly powers!

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Facebook: A Cause of Separation

Facebook is good for your social life, but not necessarily in your love life. Excessive use of the social network can do serious-to-irreparable damage to the relationship of some couples, according to a new U.S. study. The study shows that social networks have revolutionized the way people communicate, but also there is another side of the coin, as it can be disastrous for a relationship or a marriage.

Researchers of the University of Missouri and Hawaii, led by Dr. Russell Clayton, made after publication in the journal cyber-psychology, behavioral and social networking «Journal of Cuberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking», approached Facebook users aged 18 to 82 years and asked them to indicate how often they use the social network and to what extent it caused conflict with their current or ex-partner because of their usage of Facebook.

The investigation showed that the higher the use of the social network, the greater the likelihood of friction, quarrels, infidelity, separation and divorce. As Clayton said, the more someone uses Facebook, they are often tempted to secretly monitor electronic (and other) activities / partner’s website, which increases the degree of jealousy. Jealousy, in turn, paves the way for the problems in a couple.

Moreover, according to the researchers, frequent Facebook users are more likely to come in contact online with former partners, which facilitates the revival of an earlier love affair and infidelity (emotional or real) towards him / her the current partner.

As Clayton said, this threat is more real for young couples who are not yet close to three years in a relationship. “This shows that Facebook is a potential threat to the relationships that have not fully matured,” he said and recommended that the ‘fresh’ couples do not spend endless hours on social network (and temptations). “Limiting the use of Facebook in reasonably healthy levels, can reduce conflicts especially to young couples, which in turn are getting to know each other,” he added.

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Mother Maria of Paris: Saint of the Open Door

“No amount of thought will ever result in any greater formulation than the three words, ‘Love one another,’ so long as it is love to the end and without exceptions.”

Those who know the details of her life tend to regard Mother Maria Skobtsova as one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century: a brilliant theologian who lived her faith bravely in nightmarish times, finally dying a martyr’s death at the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany in 1945.

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The Spiritual Danger of Assumptions

The priest had just finished a board meeting with the church committee. Night had fallen and it was very dark.. The rain made the streets shine in the moonlight. The priest got into his car and headed home.. He was very tired, physically and spiritually. All day he had heard the problems of the world, trying to guide, trying not to be weary himself with what he heard while offerring forgiveness and hope.

As he had almost reached home, he suddenly braked in front of a store that sells sandwiches. He descended from his car and with two to three quick steps he walked into the store. The rain was falling harder . His glasses were wet and he then took them off and wiped them down..

The store was empty of clients. There were two girls standing behind the cash and one other man preparing the deilveries for the homes. “I would please like two gyro sandwiches and two souvlaki sandwiches …” said the priest. The two girls looked at each other in the eyes, in the mood to make a joke.

The priest went to the fridge to get two soft drinks and he then placed them next to the cash register. What the priest requested was ready. “What do I owe please …” he asked the girl who was punching in the items at the cash. Instead of hearing price of the order ,the priest was asked a question … “Father, do you know what day it is today? Did you forget? ” The priest was surprised … “What day is it …”? “It’s Friday father, is it not a fasting day ? You supposedly have to lead by example and not to eat meat such a day …. ” The priest lowered his head. He pulled from his wallet the amount that was indicated on the cash register. “Keep the change , he said ….. I would like for you to pray for me,I am a wretched man and full of passions …” he said and went out of the shop. She noticed that the priest, leaving from the shop did not head towards his car, not fully satisfied for what the priest had said, she exited the store…

“Where is he going …”? she said looking at the other girl who was baffled with the whole scene.. The priest went to the passenger side of the car, facing the path to his house. With quick footseps the priest found himself within in a few seconds where he wanted.to be, in front of a rubbish bin. The rain began to fall harder. “Brother, can I trouble you a bit …” were the words of the priest to the tan man who was looking in the trash. The man left the bags that he had in his hands and headed towards the priest. He stood exactly in front of the priest . Their eyes communed the same rain, the same air, the same cold … The priest did not say anything else, he spread out his hands with the bags of sandwiches and refreshments. The swarthy man did not spread out his hands , probably not believing what is happening. A small child, probably his son, who was standing beside him, spread out his small and weak hands and took the bags and began to pry them open.. The priest turned around and left..

Reaching his car, which he had left in front of the sandwich store, a surprise awaited him. The girl that had made the remark had come out to see where the priest had gone … she had seen everything that had happened. “Father …. sorry …”. she didn’t have time to finish, the priest grabbed her hands and interrupting told her: “Do not worry … pray for me, and wished her a good night.”

The girl’s eyes became watery … two or three tears were rolling down her cheeks as she saw the priest’s car disappearing into the rainy night. Across the street passed the swarthy man and the small child, laughing and eating what the priest had offerred to them. The girl walked into the shop. “Are you okay?” her colleague asked. “It is very bad to judge quickly and especially the things we only see…” she said with a trembling voice.

Archimandrite Pavos Papadopoulos

Translation of original in Greek

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New Hieromartyr Priest John Kochurov of Chicago and St. Petersburg (1917)

Commemorated on October 31 / November 13

He was born in Russia in 1871, and as a young priest was sent to America as a missionary. There he worked zealously (he was instrumental in the building of the Orthodox cathedral in Chicago) until he was called back to Russia just before the October Revolution in 1917. Only six days after the Bolsheviks seized power, he was beaten to death in the street by a gang of Bolshevik sailors in Tsarskoye Selo near St Petersburg. Thus he became the first of countless Priest-Martyrs of Russia’s atheist yoke.

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True Patience

“True patience consists in bearing calmly the evils others do to us, and in not being consumed by resentment against those who inflict them. Those who only appear to bear the evils done them by their neighbors, who suffer them in silence while they are looking for an opportunity for revenge, are not practicing patience, but only make a show of it. Saint Paul writes that ‘love is patient and kind.’ It is patient in bearing the evils done to us by others, and it is kind in even loving those it bears with. Jesus tells us ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.'” – St. Gregory the Great

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Short Cut To Salvation

“I often hear people saying, ‘Alas, how shall I be saved? I haven’t the strength to fast, I don’t know how to keep vigil, I can’t live in virginity, I couldn’t bear to leave the world—so how can I be saved?’ How? I will tell you how. Forgive and you will be forgiven … here is a short cut to salvation. And I will show you another, what is that? Judge not, it says, and you will not be judged. So here is another path without fasting or vigil or labor. … The person who judges before Christ’s coming is Antichrist, because such a person abrogates the position that belongs to Christ.” – St Anastasios of Sinai

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The Righteous Saint Tabitha

Commemorated on October 25 / November 7

The Righteous Saint Tabitha (I), a virtuous and kindly woman, belonged to the Christian community in Joppa. Being grievously ill, she happened to be dying. At the time not far from Joppa, the Apostle Peter was preaching at Lydda. Messengers were sent to him with an urgent request for help. When the apostle arrived at Joppa, Tabitha was already dead. On bended knee, the First-Ranked Apostle Peter made a fervent prayer to the Lord. Then he went to the bed and called out: “Tabitha, arise!” She got up completely healed (Acts 9: 36).

The Virtuous and Righteous Tabitha sewed clothing and earned her own bread with her handiwork. She also did “almsdeeds”: she sewed clothing for poor orphans and widows. This is all we know about the saint’s life. It seems that these subtle details of the historical Tabitha’s life were intentionally left to us by the hand of God’s Providence. Just a few lines from the Acts of the Apostles (9:36-42)—but these were enough for the Church to glorify the saint as a “true disciple [of Christ] and a spotless lamb.” It is enough to know that when she died, the wails of grieving widows compelled the apostle Peter to enter her house, and through the power of God bring her back to life, saying, “Tabitha, arise” (Acts 9:40).

But the saint was silent. She did not dare to take upon herself the load of teaching or apostolic works; she only did her almsdeeds in deep humility, known only to those close to her. She served as she knew how, in the way that God gave her to serve. She was not burdened by the company of people, was not sad about her lowly job, but was simply thankful. And this is the most astonishing thing in the life of any saint—the amazing ability to be silent in the face of the most unpleasant circumstances, the most inconvenient chance situations. The humble acceptance of what happens as being how it should, and gratefulness for everything God sends is the answer of the mighty, but other-worldly. Here the main strength is not judging, not trying to decide for God what is best for our lives, where we can bring the most benefit. When it comes down to it, this silence gives meaning to all the righteous woman’s works and labors. And so we see that the heights of apostolic preaching, the courage of the martyrs, the strength of the desert ascetics—are all absolutely accessible to every Christian by the force of patience and silence, by the force of accepting God as the Master of our lives.

Here we find an amazing pattern in spiritual life. Apparently, at the end of time some will speak assuredly of their grand deeds performed in the “name of Christ,” asking the Creator, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? But they will hear the reply: I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Mt. 7:22-23). Others, to the contrary, will stand ashamed of their insignificant lives, silently waiting for the Creator’s sentence. And God’s reply to their silence will be astounding: Come, ye blessed of God, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Mt. 25:34).

In the life of Righteous Tabitha, the grandeur of the podvig (ascetic labor, feat) of Christian life for God manifests itself with particular clarity. “Rejoice O Tabitha, vessel filled with grace!” we say as we honor her memory. By this is the most essential law of life affirmed again and again—the law that with God there is nothing bad, nothing goes unnoticed, nothing is useless, but everything received from God with simplicity of heart and humility is worthy of the highest calling: the calling to become a participant in eternity, to be a child of the Most High! On the other hand, no matter how seemingly good and virtuous a deed might be, no matter how society might glorify one or another heroic act or authority, without God it is all worth absolutely nothing, because for eternity—it is futile!

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The Holy Cross

“The Cross was given to us as a sign on our forehead, just as the circumcision was given to Israel: for by it we believers are separated and distinguished from unbelievers. This is the shield and weapon against, and trophy over, the devil. ‘This is the seal that the destroyer may not touch you’ (Ex. 12:23), as says the Scripture…The tree of life which was planted by God in Paradise prefigured this precious Cross. For since death was by a tree, it was fitting that life and resurrection should be bestowed by a tree.” – St. John of Damascus.

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Righteous Iakov (James) Borovich, Novgorod Wonderworker

Commemorated on October 23 / November 5

Righteous Iakov (James) Borovich, Novgorod Wonderworker, in his youth took upon himself the ardous task of fool-for-Christ. Most of the details of his life are unknown. The Lord glorified him after death.

In the year 1540, on the third day of Pascha, a large block of ice floated up against the current along the River Msta to the village of Borovich (in the Novgorod district), and on this block of ice stood the coffin (an oaken log) without cover, upon which lay the body of the youth. Shunning their responsibility, peasants with poles shoved the block of ice to mid-stream, but it returned to the shore. This was repeated three times. By night the youth appeared in a dream to the elders of the village, who had seen him upon the ice-flow, and said: “I too am a Christian just like you. Push me not away. My name is Iakov, and I received my name in honor of Saint Iakov (James), Brother of the Lord”.

The relics of the holy lad were at first placed in a chapel, and in 1544 transferred to the Holy Spirit church. The Lord, having glorified his God-pleasing one, granted the relics of Saint Iakov a curative power. A feastday with matins was established in 1572. In the Iconographic Originals it says about Saint Iakov: “The likeness of a lad, bare, girded only with a piece of cloth”. In 1657 Patriarch Nikon dispatched part of the relics to Valdai, to the Iversk monastery.

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Kazan Icon of the Theotokos

Our Lady of Kazan, also called Theotokos of Kazan (Russian: Казанская Богоматерь), was a holy icon of the highest stature within the Russian Orthodox Church, representing the Virgin Mary as the protector and patroness of the city of Kazan. It was considered a palladium of Russia for centuries, until its theft and likely destruction in 1904.

According to tradition, the icon was discovered on 8 July 1579, underground in the city of Kazan by a little girl, Matrona, to whom the location of the image was revealed by the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, in a Marian apparition. The original icon was kept in the Theotokos Monastery of Kazan, built to commemorate the spot where it had been discovered. Invocation of the Virgin Mary through the icon was credited by the Russian commanders, Dmitry Pozharsky and Mikhail Kutuzov, with helping the country to repel the Polish invasion of 1612, the Swedish invasion of 1709, and Napoleon’s invasion of 1812.

On the night of 29 June 1904 the icon was stolen from the church in Kazan where it had been kept for centuries (the cathedral was later blown up by the communist authorities). Thieves apparently coveted the icon’s gold frame, which was ornamented with many valuable jewels. Several years later, Russian police apprehended the thieves and recovered the frame. The thieves originally declared that the icon itself had been cut to pieces and burnt, although one of them eventually confessed that it was housed in a monastery in the wilds of Siberia. This one, however, was believed to be a fake; and the Russian police refused to investigate, using the logic that it would be very unlucky to venerate a fake icon as though it were authentic.

The Orthodox Church interpreted the disappearance of the icon as a sign of tragedies that would plague Russia after the image of the Holy Protectress of Russia had been lost. Indeed, the Russian peasantry was wont to credit all the evils of Revolution of 1905, Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War and the Bolshevik revolution to the desecration of the image.

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Enduring Trials with Gratitude

“One should always endure any trial for the sake of God with gratitude. Our life is a single minute in comparison with eternity; and therefore, according to the Apostle, ‘the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ (Romans 8:18). Bear it in silence when an enemy offends you, and open your heart to the Lord.” – St. Seraphim of Sarov

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Celebration Kazansk Icon of the Mother of God

Commemorated on October 22 / November 4

The Celebration of the Most Holy Mother of God, in honour of Her “Kazansk” Icon, was established in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all Russia from the incursion of the Polish in 1612. The period of the end of the XVI and beginning XVII Centuries is known in the history of Russia as “the Time of Troubles” (“Smutnoe Vremya”). The country suffered the onslaught of Polish armies, which scoffed at the Orthodox faith, in plundering and burning churches, cities and villages. By way of deceit they succeeded in taking Moscow. To the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Ermogen (Comm. 12 May), the Russian nation rose up in defense of its native-land. To the militia forces headed by prince Dimitrii Mikhailovich Pozharsky was sent from Kazan the wonderworking image of the Mother of God.

Sainted Dimitrii of Rostov, in his “Discourse on the Day of Appearance of the Icon of the Mother of God at Kazan,” said: ‘The Mother of God doth deliver from misfortune and woe not only the righteous, but also sinners, but which sinners? Those, which do turn themselves to the Heavenly Father like the Prodigal Son, they make lamentation beating their bosom, like the Publican, they weep at the feet of Christ, like the Sinful Woman washing His feet with her tears, and they offer forth confession of Him, like the Thief upon the Cross. Upon suchlike sinners is it that the All-Pure Mother of God doth heed and hasten to their aid, and from great misfortunes and woe doth deliver’.”

Knowing that the misfortunes were in sufferance for their sins, the whole nation and the militia imposed upon themselves a three-day fast and with prayer they turned to the Lord and His All-Pure Mother for Heavenly help. The prayer was heard. Situated in captivity under the Polish, from Sainted Arsenii (afterwards Bishop of Suzdal’) came an announcement, that in a vision to him had been revealed a shifting in the Judgement of God towards mercy, through the intercession of the MostHoly Virgin. Emboldened by the news, Russian forces on 22 October 1612 (Julian Calendar) liberated Moscow from the Polish usurpers. Celebration in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God was established in 1649. And down to our own day this icon is especially revered by the Russian Orthodox nation.

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Feast of All Saints

“The Holy Angels and the Saints of God are our best, kindest and truest friends, so often helping us in circumstances in which no one on this earth can. As these holy ones who bless us with benefits are invisible, while we, on account of our corporality, wish to have them before our eyes, we have images of them; and looking upon these images we call upon these images, we call upon them in our prayers, knowing that they have great boldness before God, to help us.” – St. John of Kronstadt

All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows, Solemnity of All Saints, or Feast of All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated by the Latin Rite of the Church on November 1st, followed by All Souls’ Day on November 2nd, and is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Catholic Church. The origin of All Saints’ Day cannot be traced with certainty, and it has been observed on various days in different places; however, there are some who maintain the belief that it has origins in the pagan observation of the Feast of the Lemures (May 13), in which the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were propitiated. Liturgiologists base the idea that this Lemuria festival was the origin of that of All Saints on their identical dates and on the similar theme of “all the dead”.

On May 13, 609 Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs, ordering an anniversary; the feast of the Dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since. The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731–741) of an oratory in St. Peter’s for the relics “of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world” with the date moved to November 1st and the May 13th feast suppressed.

The Eastern Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Tradition commemorate all saints collectively on the first Sunday after Pentecost, All Saints’ Sunday (Greek: Αγίων Πάντων). In the early days the Christians were accustomed to solemnize the anniversary of a martyr’s death for Christ at the place of martyrdom. In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to interchange feasts, to transfer relics, to divide them, and to join in a common feast; as is shown by the invitation of St. Basil of Caesarea (397) to the bishops of the province of Pontus. In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all. The first trace of this we find in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost. We also find mention of a common day in a sermon of St. Ephrem the Syrian (373), and in the 74th homily of St. John Chrysostom (407). At first only martyrs and St. John the Baptist were honored by a special day. As early as 411 there is in the Chaldean Calendar “Commemoratio Confessorum” for the Friday after Easter.

O Almighty God, who knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow your blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that, through their intercession, we may come to those ineffable joys which you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love you; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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