April 17

1. THE HIEROMARTYR [PRIEST-MARTYR] SIMEON, BISHOP OF PERSIA

During the reign of the wicked King Sapor [Savori], Simeon was tortured for Christ along with his two presbyters, Audel and Ananias. The king's eunuch, Ustazan--who had earlier denied Christ but afterward, touched by the rebuke of St. Simeon, had again confessed the true Faith before the king--was executed before them. A thousand other Christians were also led to the place of execution with Simeon. Simeon intentionally moved out of the way in order to be the last one beheaded.  He did this to encourage the other Christians, so that not one of them would waver out of fear of death. When the presbyter Ananias placed his head on the chopping block, his entire body quivered. The king's court clerk, Fusik, who secretly was a Christian, began to encourage Ananias saying: "Do not be afraid, old man, close your eyes and be brave, so that you may see the Divine Light." As soon as Fusik said this, he was recognized as a Christian and was accused before the king. Both Fusik and his daughter, the maiden Askitria, were exhausted through great torture by the king. After St. Simeon saw his flock depart to the other world, he was finally beheaded. The following year on Great Friday, Azat [Ustazan], the beloved eunuch of the king, was also slain for Christ and with him a thousand other faithful. Then the emperor mourned for his eunuch and suspended the further killing of Christians. They all suffered honorably for Christ the King and Lord in the year 341 or 344 A.D.

2. SAINT ACACIUS, BISHOP OF MELITENE

Acacius lived the ascetic life in the place where he was born, that is, in Melitene in Armenia. Blessed Otreius, the bishop of that city, who participated at the Second Ecumenical Council [Constantinople, 381 A.D.], ordained him a presbyter. Following the death of Otreius, Acacius became a bishop. He participated in the Third Ecumenical Council [Ephesus, 431 A.D.], which condemned the evil blasphemy of Nestorius against the Mother of God. Here, together with St. Cyril of Alexandria, Acacius zealously fought for the purity of the Orthodox Faith. St. Acacius possessed much grace from God and worked many miracles. After long and zealous service to God, Acacius reposed peacefully in the year 435 A.D.

3. SAINT AGAPITUS, POPE OF ROME

Agapitus was sent to the Emperor Justinian in Constantinople by Theodotus, King of the Goths, to dissuade him from his campaign against the Goths. En route, he healed a mute and blind person. In Constantinople, Agapitus assisted in confirming Orthodoxy. He died in the year 536 A.D.

4. THE VENERABLE SABBATIUS AND ZOSIMAS

Sabbatius and Zosimas were the co-founders of the ascetic [monastic] community on the Solovki (Solovetz) Island in the White Sea. Many great saints were glorified in the Solovki Monastery. St. Sabbatius died in 1435 A.D., and St. Zosimas in 1478 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT ZOSIMAS

On an desert isle amidst the stormy sea,

Beyond the vanity of the world and beyond conversation,

Zosimas nourishes his soul with prayers

And defends it from demons with the name of God.

Vicious demons become embittered against him,

And direct all of their power against him.

Zosimas speaks to them: "In vain is your effort

As long as the mighty hand of God protects me.

Is it the will of God that I be slain?

Then strike quickly, and do not waste time!

Why do you change yourselves into beasts and serpents,

Into angry wolves, tigers and scorpions,

When you do not have the strength of shadows

To do me any harm?

You are dreadful only to the sons of sin

And to the lovers of pleasure and laughter.

But to the lovers of the yoke of Christ,

The Mother of God, and pure asceticism,

You are like the fog carried by the wind,

Which one moment is blown in and the next moment blown away.

If the fog is able to uproot a rock,

Then you are able to sway me, a sinner!

Leave me alone; I do not give myself over to you.

I am the servant of Christ; I look to Christ."


REFLECTION

CONTEMPLATION

Contemplate the resurrected Lord Jesus:

1. How for forty days after the Resurrection He remained on earth, showing Himself to the faithful and strengthening them in the Faith;

2. How, by His forty-day manifestation, He demonstrated that He did not resurrect for His own sake, but for the sake of mankind.

HOMILY

on the wonderful promise of Christ

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me on My throne" (Revelation 3:21).

This, brethren, is the promise of Christ, the Victor over the devil, sin and death.

But the devil, sin and death are stronger than man. Who can overcome them? No one, except Christ and those who stand firm with Christ and enter into battle with His weapons.

The devil is as old as the world, and even older. How can a man, whose life-span is measured by a pendulum, defeat him who, for many thousands of years, has learned to wage battle against man? How can a mortal overpower all the temptations of the devil, whose number equals the number of sins on earth? By no means, if he does not know that the Lord Jesus conquered the three main types of diabolical temptations on the high mountain. By no means, if a man does not remain firm and steadfast alongside Christ, Who is older than time and mightier than all the angels, both evil and good.

Sin is as old as the devil. How can a man, whose life-span is measured by a pendulum, avoid sin, which, as a contagious disease and evil odor, has been passed from generation to generation, from man to man, since man has existed on this earth? By no means, if he does not know that there exists one Man, the One and Only, Who did not commit sin, either in birth or after birth: the God-man Jesus Christ, Who, through the humbleness of His humanity and the fire of His Divinity, crushed sin on the Cross. By no means, if a man does not stand firm with Christ, Who is older than sin and Who is mightier than all of the sowers and carriers of sin.

Death is as old as man expelled from Paradise. How can a man, whose life span is measured by a pendulum, conquer death in this worldly grave? By no means, if he does not acknowledge the power of the Cross, the suffering of Christ, and the truth of His Resurrection from the grave. By no means, if he does not stand firm with Christ, the Almighty Victor over death.

Oh, what a glorious reward for those who achieve victory! They will be seated and crowned with wreaths of glory on the throne of the greatest Victor on earth and in heaven!

To Him be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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