اعمال رسولان ۲۱.۲۶-۳۲ (رساله)

۲۶پس، روز بعد، پولس آن اشخاص را همراه خود برد و با ایشان آیین تطهیر را به جا آورد. سپس به معبد رفت تا تاریخ پایان روزهای تطهیر را که در آن برای هر یک از ایشان قربانی تقدیم می‌شد، اعلام کند. ۲۷چیزی به پایان هفت روز تطهیر نمانده بود که چند یهودی از ایالت آسیا، پولس را در معبد دیدند. آنها جمعیت را شوراندند و او را گرفته، ۲۸فریاد می‌زدند: «ای اسرائیلیان، مدد کنید؛ این همان است که همگان را در همه جا بر ضد قوم ما و شریعت ما و بر ضد این مکان تعلیم می‌دهد. از آن گذشته، یونانیان را نیز به درون معبد آورده و این مکان مقدّس را نجس کرده است.» ۲۹آنها پیشتر تْروفیموسِ اَفِسُسی را در شهر با پولس دیده بودند و می‌پنداشتند پولس او را به درون معبد برده است. ۳۰شهر سراپا آشوب شد! مردم از هر سو هجوم آوردند و پولس را گرفته، از معبد بیرون کشیدند و بی‌درنگ درهای معبد را پشت سرشان بستند. ۳۱چون سعی داشتند او را بکشند، به فرماندۀ سپاهیان رومی خبر رسید که در تمام اورشلیم آشوبی به پا شده است. ۳۲او بی‌درنگ با سربازان و افسران خود به سوی جمعیت تاخت. چون چشم جماعت به فرمانده و سربازانش افتاد، از زدن پولس دست برداشتند.

یوحنا ۱۶.۲-۱۳ (انجیل)

۲شما را از کنیسه‌ها اخراج خواهند کرد و حتی زمانی می‌رسد که هر که شما را بکشد، می‌پندارد که خدا را خدمت کرده است. ۳این کارها را خواهند کرد، زیرا نه پدر را می‌شناسند، نه مرا. ۴اینها را به شما گفتم تا چون زمان وقوعشان فرا رسد، به یاد آورید که شما را آگاه کرده بودم. آنها را در آغاز به شما نگفتم، زیرا خود با شما بودم. ۵«اکنون نزد فرستندۀ خود می‌روم، و هیچ‌یک نمی‌پرسید، ”کجا می‌روی؟“ ۶امّا به سبب شنیدن سخنانم، دل شما آکنده از غم شده است. ۷با این حال، من به شما راست می‌گویم که رفتنم به سود شماست. زیرا اگر نروم، آن مدافع نزد شما نخواهد آمد؛ امّا اگر بروم او را نزد شما می‌فرستم. ۸چون او آید، جهان را مجاب خواهد کرد که به لحاظ گناه و عدالت و داوری، تقصیرکار است. ۹به لحاظ گناه، زیرا به من ایمان نمی‌آورند. ۱۰به لحاظ عدالت، زیرا نزد پدر می‌روم و دیگر مرا نخواهید دید. ۱۱و به لحاظ داوری، زیرا رئیس این جهان محکوم شده است. ۱۲«بسیار چیزهای دیگر دارم که به شما بگویم، امّا اکنون یارای شنیدنش را ندارید. ۱۳امّا چون روحِ راستی آید، شما را به تمامی حقیقت راهبری خواهد کرد؛ زیرا او از جانب خود سخن نخواهد گفت، بلکه آنچه را می‌شنود بیان خواهد کرد و از آنچه در پیش است با شما سخن خواهد گفت.

نبی مقدس عاموس (سده ۸ ق.م)

He was an unlearned shepherd from the village of Tekoa in Zabulon, near Bethlehem. His prophecies, made during the reign of King Uzziah, make up the Old Testament book which bears his name. He is ranked third among the “minor prophets” of the Old Testament.

شهید مقدس ویتوس, با مودستوس و کرسکنتیا (۳۰۳)

“St Vitus was born in Sicily of eminent pagan parents. Modestus was his tutor and Crescentia his governess. St Vitus was baptised early and, when only twelve years old, began to live an intensive ascetic life. Angels appeared to him, instructing him and encouraging him in his labours, and he was himself as radiant and handsome as an angel of God. A judge who beat him had the flesh of his arm wither away, but Vitus healed it by his prayers. His father was blinded when he saw twelve angels in his room ‘with eyes like stars and faces like lightning’, but Vitus restored his sight by his prayers. When his father sought to kill him, an angel appeared to him and took him to Lucania on the bank of the river Silaris, together with Modestus and Crescentia. St Vitus performed many miracles there for the sick and insane. He went to Rome at the summons of the Emperor Diocletian and drove out an evil spirit from his son. Far from rewarding him, the Emperor tortured him cruelly when he would not bow down before mute idols, but the Lord delivered him from torture and returned him to Lucania by His invisible arm, and there he and Modestus and Crescentia entered into rest in the Lord. St Vitus’ relics are preserved in Prague.” (Prologue)

In the West, St Vitus’ aid is often invoked for the cure of many ailments, especially insanity and demonic possession. For this reason his name is given to St Vitus’ dance, an acute neurological illness that produces uncontrollable movements in the face and limbs, usually occurring in children.

مبارک آگوستین, اسقف هیپو (۴۳۰), و او مادر مونیکا (۳۸۷)

After seeking truth among many religious schools, including the Manicheans, Augustine was turned to faith in Christ through the cousel and fervent prayers of his mother St Monica. The story of his early life and conversion is beautifully told in his Confessions. He lived for seventy-six years, the last thirty-five as bishop of Hippo in north Africa. He died in a barbarian attack on that city.

In recent years, a few Orthodox writers have tried to deny that Augustine is a Saint of the Orthodox church (mostly due to some theological errors in his writings which have been unduly promoted in the Latin church). These claims are false: from the time of his canonization, he has been commemorated as a Saint.

شهید مقدس لازار, شاهزاده صربستان (۱۳۸۹)

“He was one of the greatest men of Serbia who ruled the kingdom after king Dušan. Upon the death of King Uroš, Lazar was crowned King of Serbia by Patriarch Ephraim. He sent a delegation to Constantinople, including a monk called Isaiah, to plead for the removing of the anathema from the Serbian people. He went to war on several occasions against the Turkish Pasha, finally clashing with the Turkish king, Amurât, at Kosovo on June 15, 1389, being slain there. His body was taken to Ravanica near Cupria, a foundation of his, and buried there, but was later taken to New Ravanica in Srem. During the Second World War, in 1942, it was taken to Belgrade and placed in the Cathedral, where it is preserved to this day and offers comfort and healing to all who turn to him in prayer. He restored Hilandar and Gornjak, built Ravanica and the Lazarica in Kruševac and was the founder of St Panteleimon, the Russian monastery on the Holy Mountain, as well as numerous other churches and monasteries.” (Prologue)