The Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were honoured at Bucharest’s St Anthimos Monastery, where particles of their relics, donated by Patriarch Nicodemus of Jerusalem 139 years ago, are displayed for veneration.
The festal Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was celebrated by the monastery’s abbot Protosyncellus Vicențiu Oboroceanu.
During his sermon, the abbot referred to the martyrdom of the holy saints remembered by the Church on March 9 who “chose suffering and steadfastness.”
The abbot pointed out the moment when one of the forty gave in: “He did not enter the frozen lake with a full confessional heart; he did not have the spiritual effervescence; he was doubtful”, Fr. Vicentiu explained.
Coming out of the icy water and entering the specially prepared hot bath, he died immediately, and one of the jailers chose to take his place in martyrdom: “He opened his heart and confessed that he was a Christian, then he went to the other 39 soldiers who were upset that their comrade-in-arms had left. And behold, he comforted them, and gave, even more, will power unto them who were in the frozen lake.”
“What does Holy Martyrdom really mean, dear believers?” the abbot asked. “Love for Christ and its perpetuation.”
“Because I don’t love a little now, tomorrow I’ll sweeten myself with a lust, another sin, I’ll come back, I’ll confess. It isn’t easy. You have to stabilize,” the abbot said.
“Because the grace of the Holy Spirit is very delicate when it enters the human soul and heart. You must have your heart ready because man is not worthy of the coming of grace and the tasting of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Grace comes to the heart of man and gives him rest. It gives virtue over virtue and gifts over gifts to the man who is constantly a spiritual labourer.”
Continuing his speech, the abbot referred to the significant difficulties facing the world today, especially the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
He said that we have the Forty Martyrs and the confessors from the communist prisons and St. Anthimos the Iberian as support and models in these difficulties.
“We need to have peace in our souls, but we also need to be aware of the times,” Father Vicențiu said, concluding his sermon with the words of the Saviour:” Take heart, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a memorial service was held for those who confessed the Orthodox faith in communist prisons, including members of the Burning Bush movement that operated at St Anthimos Monastery.
March 9 is the Day of Anti-Communist Political Prisoners from 1944-1989 in Romania.
A museum dedicated to the Burning Bush spiritual movement members was set up in 2017 at Saint Anthimos Monastery.
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Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
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