اول تسالونیکیان ۲.۱-۸ (رساله)

۱ای برادران، خود می‌دانید که آمدن ما نزد شما بیهوده نبوده است، ۲بلکه هرچند پیشتر در شهر فیلیپی آزار و اهانت بر ما رفت، چنانکه می‌دانید، امّا به مدد خدای خود دلیری کردیم تا انجیل خدا را با وجود مخالفتهای بسیار به شما برسانیم. ۳زیرا اگر ترغیبتان می‌کنیم، از گمراهی یا انگیزه‌های ناپاک نیست، و قصد فریبتان را نیز نداریم، ۴بلکه چون کسانی سخن می‌گوییم که خدا بر آنها مُهر تأیید زده و انجیل را بدیشان به امانت سپرده است. ما در پی خشنود ساختن مردم نیستیم، بلکه خشنودی خدایی را طالبیم که دلهای ما را می‌آزماید. ۵شما نیک می‌دانید که ما هرگز به چاپلوسی متوسّل نشدیم، و از ظاهرسازی چون سرپوشی برای طمع سود نجستیم - خدا گواه ماست. ۶و نیز جویای ستایش از انسانها نبوده‌ایم، چه از شما و چه از دیگران. هرچند در مقام رسولان مسیح حقی بر گردن شما داشتیم، ۷امّا همچون مادری شیرده که از کودکان خود نگهداری می‌کند، با شما به نرمی رفتار کردیم. ۸شدت علاقۀ ما به شما چنان بود که شادمانه حاضر بودیم نه تنها انجیل خدا را به شما برسانیم، بلکه از جان خود نیز در راه شما بگذریم، چندان که ما را عزیز گشته بودید.

لوقا ۱۲.۴۸-۵۹ (انجیل)

۴۸امّا آن که خواست اربابش را نمی‌داند و کاری می‌کند که سزاوار تنبیه است، تازیانۀ کمتر خواهد خورد. هر که به او بیشتر داده شود، از او بیشتر نیز مطالبه خواهد شد؛ و هر که مسئولیتش بیشتر باشد، پاسخگویی‌اش نیز بیشتر خواهد بود. ۴۹«من آمده‌ام تا بر زمین آتش افروزم، و ای کاش که تا کنون افروخته شده بود! ۵۰امّا مرا تعمیدی باید، و چه در فشارم تا به انجام رسد. ۵۱آیا گمان می‌برید آمده‌ام تا صلح به زمین آورم؟ نه، بلکه آمده‌ام تا جدایی افکنم. ۵۲از این پس، میان پنج تن از اهل یک خانه جدایی خواهد افتاد؛ سه علیه دو خواهند بود و دو علیه سه. ۵۳پدر علیه پسر و پسر علیه پدر، مادر علیه دختر و دختر علیه مادر، مادرشوهر علیه عروس و عروس علیه مادرشوهر.» ۵۴سپس به جماعت گفت: «چون بینید ابری در مغرب پدیدار شود، بی‌درنگ می‌گویید: ”باران خواهد بارید،“ و باران می‌بارد. ۵۵و چون باد جنوب وزد، می‌گویید: ”هوا گرم خواهد شد،“ و چنین می‌شود. ۵۶ای ریاکاران! شما که نیک می‌دانید چگونه سیمای زمین و آسمان را تعبیر کنید، چگونه است که از تعبیر زمان حاضر ناتوانید؟ ۵۷«چرا خود دربارۀ آنچه درست است داوری نمی‌کنید؟ ۵۸هنگامی که با شاکیِ خود نزد حاکم می‌روی، بکوش تا در راه با او آشتی کنی، مبادا تو را نزد قاضی کشاند و قاضی تو را به نگهبان سپارد، و به زندان افتی. ۵۹به تو می‌گویم که تا قِران آخر را نپردازی، از زندان به در نخواهی آمد.»

شهیدان میناس، ویکتور و وینسنت

This holy Martyr was an Egyptian and a soldier during the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian. Though he was known for his valor in combat, he renounced his soldier’s rank when his legion was ordered to seize Christians in north Africa. Fleeing to the mountains, he dwelt there for some time in silence and solitude, devoting his days to prayer. In time, he presented himself at a pagan festival, denounced the idols and declared himself a Christian. For this he was handed over to the governor of the city, who subjected him to horrible tortures and finally had him beheaded. Some faithful retrieved part of his relics and gave them honorable burial near Lake Mareotis, about thirty miles from Alexandria. The church built over his tomb became a place of pilgrimage not only for countless Egyptians but for Christians all over the world: evidence has been found of journeys to his shrine from as far away as Ireland.

The Synaxarion gives an account of the Saint’s intervention in the Second World War: “In June 1942, during the North-Africa campaign that was decisive for the outcome of the Second World War, the German forces under the command of General Rommel were on their way to Alexandria, and happened to make a halt near a place which the Arabs call El-Alamein after Saint Menas. An ancient ruined church there was dedicated to the Saint; and there some people say he is buried. Here the weaker Allied forces including some Greeks confronted the numerically and militarily superior German army, and the result of the coming battle seemed certain. During the first night of engagement, Saint Menas appeared in the midst of the German camp at the head of a caravan of camels, exactly as he was shown on the walls of the ruined church in one of the frescoes depicting his miracles. This astounding and terrifying apparition so undermined German morale that it contributed to the brilliant victory of the Allies. The Church of Saint Menas was restored in thanksgiving and a small monastery was established there.”

ما عادل پدر تئودور استودیتی (۸۲۶)

“Saint Theodore the Studite was born in Constantinople in 759; his pious parents were named Photinus and Theoctiste. He assumed the monastic habit in his youth, at the monastery called Sakkoudion, and became abbot there in 794. About the year 784 he was ordained deacon, and later presbyter by the most holy Patriarch Tarasius. On joining the brotherhood of the Monastery of Studium (which was named after its founder Studius, a Roman consul), the Saint received the surname “Studite.” He proved to be a fervent zealot for the traditions of the Fathers and contested even unto death for the sake of his reverence for the holy icons. He endured three exiles because of his pious zeal. During the third one, to which he was condemned by the Iconoclast autocrat, Leo the Armenian, he endured courageously being beaten and bound and led from one dark dungeon to another for seven whole years. Finally he was recalled from exile by Michael the Stutterer. Receiving thus a small respite from his labours of long endurance, he reposed in the Lord on November 11, 826, a Sunday, while his disciples, who stood round about him, chanted the 118th Psalm. Some say that after receiving the immaculate Mysteries, he himself began chanting this psalm. And on reaching the verse, “I will never forget Thy statutes, for in them hast Thou quickened me” (v. 93) he gave up his spirit, having lived for sixty-seven years. In addition to his other sacred writings, he composed, with the collaboration of his brother Joseph, almost the whole of the compunctionate book of the Triodion.” (Great Horologion)

St Theodore helped to establish the Studion (or Stoudion) Monastery in Constantinople, and was its Abbot. Under his guidance the Stoudion Monastery became the leading center of Orthodox piety and Byzantine culture of its time. The monks lived a radically common life: they did not even have their own cells, but slept in large dormitories.