Orthodox Calendar, November 12
Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria
He was born on Cyprus in the seventh century into the family of the illustrious dignitary Epiphanius. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage and had children. When the wife and the children of the saint died, he became a monk. He was zealous in fasting and prayer, and had great love for those around him.
His spiritual exploits won him honor among men, and even the emperor revered him. When the Patriarchal throne of Alexandria fell vacant, the emperor Heraclius and all the clergy begged Saint John to occupy the Patriarchal throne.
The saint worthily assumed his archpastoral service, concerning himself with the moral and dogmatic welfare of his flock. As patriarch he denounced every soul-destroying heresy, and drove out from Alexandria the Monophysite Phyllonos of Antioch.
He considered his chief task to be charitable and to give help all those in need. At the beginning of his patriarchal service he ordered his stewards to compile a list of all the poor and downtrodden in Alexandria, which turned out to be over seven thousand men. The saint ordered that all of these unfortunates be provided for each day out of the church’s treasury.
Twice during the week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, he emerged from the doors of the patriarchal cathedral, and sitting on the church portico, he received everyone in need. He settled quarrels, helped the wronged, and distributed alms.
Three times a week he visited the sick-houses, and rendered assistance to the suffering. It was during this period that the emperor Heraclius led a tremendous army against the Persian emperor Chosroes II. The Persians ravaged and burned Jerusalem, taking a multitude of captives. The holy Patriarch John gave a large portion of the church treasury for their ransom.
The saint never refused suppliants. One day, when the saint was visiting the sick, he met a beggar and commanded that he be given six silver coins.
The beggar changed his clothes, ran on ahead of the Patriarch, and again asked for alms. Saint John gave him six more silver coins. When, however, the beggar sought charity a third time, and the servants began to chase the fellow away, the Patriarch ordered that he be given twelve pieces of silver, saying, “Perhaps he is Christ putting me to the test.”
Twice the saint gave money to a merchant that had suffered shipwreck, and a third time gave him a ship belonging to the Patriarchate and filled with grain, with which the merchant had a successful journey and repaid his obligations.
Saint John the Merciful was known for his gentle attitude towards people. Once, the saint was compelled to excommunicate two clergymen for a certain time because of some offense. One of them repented, but the other fellow became angry with the Patriarch and fell into greater sins. The saint wanted to summon him and calm him with kind words, but it slipped his mind.
When he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy, the saint was suddenly reminded by the words of the Gospel: “If you bring your gift to the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar … first, be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt. 5:23-24).
The saint came out of the altar, called the offending clergyman to him, and falling down on his knees before him in front of all the people he asked forgiveness. The cleric, filled with remorse, repented of his sin, corrected himself, and afterwards was found worthy to be ordained to the priesthood.
There was a time when a certain citizen insulted George, the Patriarch’s nephew. George asked the saint to avenge the wrong. The saint promised to deal with the offender so that all of Alexandria would marvel at what he had done. This calmed George, and Saint John began to instruct him, speaking of the necessity for meekness and humility.
Then he summoned the man who insulted George. When Saint John learned that the man lived in a house owned by the church, he declared that he would excuse him from paying rent for an entire year. Alexandria indeed was amazed by such a “revenge,” and George learned from his uncle how to forgive offenses and to bear insults for God’s sake.
Saint John, a strict ascetic and man of prayer, was always mindful of his soul, and of death. He ordered a coffin for himself, but told the craftsmen not to finish it. Instead, he would have them come each feastday and ask if it was time to finish the work.
Saint John was persuaded to accompany the governor Nicetas on a visit to the emperor in Constantinople. While on his way to visit the earthly king, he dreamed of a resplendent man who said to him, “The King of Kings summons you.” He sailed to his native island of Cyprus, and died at Amanthos, the saint peacefully fell asleep in the Lord (616-620).
Troparion — Tone 8
By endurance you gained your reward, venerable Father; / you persevered in prayer unceasingly; / you loved the poor and provided for them in all things. / Blessed John the Merciful, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
The Holy Martyr Athanasius Todoran
He was born in Bichigiu village, Sălăuţa valley, Năsăud region of Transylvania, to a family of Orthodox Christians. Few things are known about his childhood; it is only known that he was an outstanding person in his community, an educated person, who has been administrator and tax collector in the communes on Bichigiu and Sălăuţa valleys.
Given his virtues and courage he was a member of a military regiment of the empire from Vienna ever since his youth. Hence, as his retirement was postponed, he left the army of his masters, who had a different faith, and went back home. Followed by the people of the empire, he took refuge in Ţibleş Mountains, in Maramureş and Chioaru land. While in this exile, he always prayed God for him and for his fellow human beings who were suffering and in all kind of humiliations.
His pains grew when the ones of other faiths caught and imprisoned him for a few years in the Hoopers’ Tower, in Bistriţa citadel. Once released from prison, he went back to Bichigiu village, where the Orthodox faith of his forerunners was threatened by uniatism. Thus, because the village had no Orthodox priest, he firmly refused to confess to and take Holy Communion from a uniate priest.
He has always manifested his faith in God and desire for justice and truth. Therefore, from 1761-1762 he held talks with the government in Vienna, together with some other leaders, for the militarisation of 21 communes in Bichigiu, Sălăuţa and Great Someş valleys. He went to Vienna together with other Romanians where the pact with the government was concluded and where they were assured that, after joining the frontier guard, the Romanians from Năsăud area would enjoy more facilities and would not be forced to give up their faith.
When he came back home expecting to enjoy the results of the agreement, blessed Athanasius realised that the Romanians’ demands were not taken into account, so that he started openly opposing the attempts of conversion to the papal church.
On 10 May 1763, the fight flags were to be blessed and nine companies of the recently set up frontier guard were to be sworn in Salva locality, at the place called “At the Marsh”.
General Bukov sent by the Court of Vienna to survey and accelerate the conversion of the Romanians to Catholicism in Transylvania, came to attend the swearing in of the frontier guards of Năsăud and the blessing of the flag, accompanied by the uniate bishop. At that time of hard trials for the Orthodox Christians, when the militaries were prepared to swear in, “old Tănase Todoran”, aged 104 at the time, came in front of the crowd riding a horse and delivered a speech for the Romanian frontier guards. He said: “We have been frontier guards for two years and we have not received papers from the empress to confirm we were free people, as we were promised!… So, we shall not bear arms to see our holy faith mocked! Let down your arms!”.
The passionate words of the pious old man bore fruits in the hearts of his listeners and so the soldiers who were about to swear in the oath of faith to Vienna took Athanasius’ side and put down their arms.
Soon afterwards, the authorities undertook investigations in order to punish the Saints confessors. Thus, on 12 November 1763, the supporters of the centuries old faith and of the freedoms of the Romanian people were tortured on the same plateau of Salva.
The bones of the righteous martyr Athanasius were broken with a wheel from head to toes and his head was tied to a wheel, “because he hindered the people to convert to uniatism and join the frontier guard…”. Three other faithful died a martyr’s death together with him: Basil from Mocod, Gregory from Zagra and Basil from Telciu.
Nineteen other Orthodox Christians were whipped, many of them to death. The heads of the martyr saints were put on pillars at the gates of the houses were they had lived and pieces of their bodies cut to pieces were laid at crossroads.
This was the martyr’s death of the worth of remembering Holy Martyr Athanasius, who shed his blood for the faith of the forefathers and for the rights of his Romanian brothers from Transylvania. His suffering and those of those who died together with him have been always honoured in the souls of the Orthodox faithful of Năsăud area.
The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, through the Tomos of 22 October 2007, placed them among the saints, celebrated on 12 November.
Through their holy prayers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Troparion, Tone 4:
Your life well-pleasing to God has shone like a brilliant star in the land of Năsăud, oh, Holy Martyrs Athanasius of Bichigiu, Basil of Mocod, Gregory of Zagra and Basil of Telciu; for being strengthened by the divine grace you became protectors and confessors of Orthodoxy against rulers of other origin and faith. Therefore, suffering to the very shedding of your blood, you have been crowned in Heaven by Christ our God, to Whom do pray for our souls.
Saint Nilus the Faster of Sinai
A native of Constantinople. He lived during the fifth century and was a disciple of Saint John Chrysostom. Having received a fine education, the saint was appointed to the important post of prefect of the capital while still a young man.
During this period, Nilus was married and had children, but the pomp of courtly life bothered the couple. Saint John Chrysostom exerted a tremendous influence upon their lives and their strivings. The spouses decided to separate and devote themselves to the monastic life.
The wife and daughter of Nilus went to one of the women’s monasteries in Egypt, and Saint Nilus and his son Theodulus went to Sinai, where they settled in a cave dug out by their own hands. For forty years this cave served as the dwelling of Saint Nilus.
By fasting, prayer and works, the monk attained a high degree of spiritual perfection. People began to come to him from every occupation and social rank from the emperor down to the farmer, and each found counsel and comfort from the saint.
At Sinai, Saint Nilus wrote many soul-profiting works to guide Christians on the path of salvation. In one of his letters there is an angry denunciation of the emperor Arcadius, who had exiled Saint John Chrysostom.
The ascetic works of the venerable Nilus are widely known: they are perfectly executed in form, profoundly Orthodox in content, and are clear and lucid in expression. His Ascetic Discourse is found in Volume I of the English PHILOKALIA.
Saint Nilus suffered many misfortunes in the wilderness. Once, Saracens captured his son Theodulus, whom they intended to offer as a sacrifice to their pagan gods. Through the prayers of the saint the Lord saved Theodulus, and his father found him with the Bishop of Emessa, who had ransomed the young man from the barbarians.
This bishop ordained both of them as presbyters. After ordination they returned to Sinai, where they lived as ascetics together until the death of Saint Nilus.
Troparion — Tone 8
By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / Our Father Nilus, pray to Christ God to save our souls!
Tr by oca.org