21 marzo feste santi e memorie

NOSTRO PADRE TRA I SANTI GIACOMO, VESCONO DI CATANIA, IL CONFESSORE.

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/03/21/100858-st-james-the-confessor-the-bishop-of-catania

Troparion — Tone 5

Shining forth in holy abstinence, / you rightly rightly divide the inspired word of truth as a hierarch and minister of God the Word. / By your virtuous struggle you revealed and confirmed the grace granted to you, O James, / instructing all to venerate the image of the Savior, / to whom you pray for us all.

Kontakion — Tone 8

You excelled in the gifts of the priesthood, / and through your labors You became illustrious in confessing the faith. / Since you are a fruitful branch of Christ the True Vine, / grant the new wine of forgiveness and salvation to those who cry: / “Rejoice, O Father James!”

Saint BIRILLE ou BERILLE (VIRILOS), natif d'Antioche, disciple du saint apôtre Pierre et évêque de Catane en Sicile (vers 90). 

Saint Cyril was born in Antioch. He was a disciple of the Apostle Peter (June 29, January 16), who installed him as Bishop of Catania in Sicily. St Cyril wisely guided his flock; he was pious, and the Lord granted him the gift of wonderworking. By his prayer the bitter water in a certain spring lost its bitterness and became drinkable. This miracle converted many pagans to Christianity. St Cyril died in old age and was buried in Sicily.

Saints martyrs PHILEMON et DOMNIN, morts par le glaive en Italie. Nativi, secondo i menologi greci, di Roma, ai tempi delle persecuzioni si diedero a percorrere l'Italia predicando il Vangelo e battezzando gli infedeli che, alla loro infiammata parola, si convertivano in gran numero. Tutto ciò, come era naturale, suscitò l'ira dei culti degli idoli, i quali li presero, li legarono e li consegnarono al preside della provincia. Questi tentò dapprima di indurli a negare Cristo con promesse di onori e doni, indi, non essendosi quelli piegati, li fece distendere nudi in terra e battere ferocemente da quattro littori. Vennero, quindi, chiusi in carcere, poi di nuovo sottoposti a duri tormenti, e infine decapitat

http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/46250

i

Sainte MARIE de Pergé, martyre.

Sainte ESTELLE, OSTARA ou STERENN, martyre en Provence (IVème siècle). 

Saint SERAPION le Sidonite, ascète en Egypte, thaumaturge et pélerin errant en Grèce et à Rome, qui sut inspirer à sainte Thaïs (cf. 8 octobre) un repentir salutaire (IVème siècle). 

Saint SERAPION, évêque de Thmuis en Egypte, disciple de saint Antoine le Grand (cf. 17 janvier) et défenseur de saint Athanase (cf. 18 janvier), qui confessa la foi orthodoxe contre l'arianisme (vers 356).

Thmuis è una città del basso Egitto. Il suo nome, che significa "capra", le dovette derivare dal fatto che in antico vi si adorava tale animale. Di Thmuis, tra il 340 e il 356, fu vescovo S. Serapione. Non si hanno molte e sicure notizie della sua vita. Preposto dapprima alla scuola catechetica di Alessandria, si fece monaco alla scuola di S. Antonio abate, che morendo gli lasciò una delle sue tuniche di pelo. La notizia ci è trasmessa da S. Atanasio, che di Serapione fu buon amico: lo dimostrano le sue cinque lettere al vescovo di Thmuis, che a sua volta sostenne energicamente il "martello degli ariani".
Chiamato al ministero episcopale, Serapione conservò un acuto rimpianto per la vita monastica. Ne è bella testimonianza la vivace Lettera ai monaci, che esalta l'ottima "scelta" che i monaci hanno saputo fare, rinunciando alle Gioie effimere e ai tanti dispiaceri della vita del mondo, descritti con brio e un pizzico d'ingenuità e di retorica. Serapione mette altresì in evidenza l'efficacia del ministero di propiziazione che i monaci esercitano nella Chiesa e nella società, ad imitazione di Abramo e Mosè. Come vescovo, Serapione dovette impegnarsi nella difesa della dottrina cristiana. Non è accertata storicamente la sua partecipazione al concilio di Sardica (347), in cui fu sancita la riabilitazione di Atanasio; Tuttavia egli fu al fianco di Atanasio nella lotta anti-ariana e fu acerrimo anti-manicheo: lo dimostra il suo Libro contro i manichei, che Facondo dì Ermiana attribuiva erroneamente a S. Atanasio e che contiene l'appello a "non lasciarsi colpire dal minimo errore e ad innalzare un bel baluardo nella nostra anima per non cadere preda di un errore più grande".
Non sembra invece che sia di Serapione e comunque non è di mano sua l'ultima stesura dell'Eucologio, una raccolta di 30 preghiere liturgiche, importante per la storia della liturgia egiziana del sec. IV. S. Girolamo, che a Serapione dedicò un capitoletto del suo “De viris illustribusâ€, definendolo "Scolastico" per la sua scienza, c'informa che egli scrisse anche molte "utili lettere a diverse persone". Sozomeno riferisce che egli fece parte di una commissione di cinque vescovi egiziani che andarono da Costanzo II a intercedere per S. Atanasio: la missione fallì e lo stesso Serapione venne cacciato dagli ariani dalla sua sede.
Morì poco dopo il 362

http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/46350

 

Saint ELIE, originaire du Valais, solitaire sur l'île de San Giulio d'Orta dans le Piémont (457). Sant’Elia è ritenuto dalla tradizione locale novarese il successore di San Giulio nell’opera di evangelizzazione delle terre cusiane. Secondo la Vita di San Giulio egli avrebbe dato sepoltura al giovane senatore Audenzio, che i famigliari vollero deposto presso la tomba del santo, e si dedicò alla cura della chiesa edificata da Giulio stesso. In seguito, Elia fu ritenuto il secondo vescovo di Sion vissuto agli inizi del secolo V che, per ignoti motivi, lasciata la sua sede episcopale, si sarebbe recato a soggiornare come sacerdote o eremita presso l’isola di Orta

Saint LUPICIN, frère de saint Romain (cf. leur mémoire commune le 28 février), fondateur du monastère de Lauconne en Franche-Comté (vers 480). Il a donné son nom à un village situé près de la ville de Saint-Claude dans le département français du Jura.  A Lauconne nel territorio di Lione, in Francia, anniversario di san Lupicino, abate, che insieme al fratello san Romano diede impulso alla vita monastica tra i pendii del Giura.Saint RIVAIN ou RIWAL, ermite et fondateur de paroisse dans le Trégor en Bretagne (VIème siècle).

http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/46320


Saint EPIPHANE, évêque de Nantes (527).

Saint ENDA (ENDEUS, ENNA) de Meath, abbé en Irlande (530). Enna (o Enda o Endeus) è il patriarca del monachesimo irlandese. A lui, vissuto nel VI secolo, si deve infatti la fondazione del primo vero monastero. Fu un'isola nell'isola. Enna, infatti, ottenne dal re Oengus la selvaggia isola di Aran, nella baia di Gallway. Qui costruì il monastero di Killeaney. Prima aveva edificato una chiesa a Drogheda e un'altra comunità. Secondo la leggenda era un soldato, convertito dalla sorella, santa Fanchea. Fu sepolto nella chiesa a lui dedicata a InishmoreSaint PANDIN, ermite en Bretagne (VIIème siècle).

Saint OUERGON, ermite en Bretagne (VIIème siècle).

Saint THOMAS Ier, patriarche oecuménique de Constantinople (607-610), ami spirituel de saint Thédore de Skyéon (cf. 22 avril) (610).

Saint JACQUES le Jeune, moine du Stoudion, puis évêque et confesseur des saintes Icônes (vers 824). (Office traduit en français par le père Denis Guillaume au tome III des Ménées.) 

 Costantinopoli, passione di san Giacomo, detto il Confessore, che lottò strenuamente per il culto delle sacre immagini e concluse la sua vita con un glorioso martirio. Notre Saint Père Jacques avait entrepris, dès son plus jeune âge, de mener la vie ascétique, afin de se présenter devant Dieu comme un pur réceptacle de Sa Grâce. Il entra au Monastère du Studion et devint fils spirituel de Saint Théodore (cf. 11 nov.)*, lequel lui inspira son ardent amour de Dieu et son zèle pour la foi orthodoxe. Brillant donc de toutes sortes de vertus, il fut élevé à la charge épiscopale, et souffrit les persécutions et l'exil en défendant le bien-fondé de la vénération des Saintes Icônes. Après avoir enduré, avec la constance des Martyrs d'antan, la faim, la soif et les mauvais traitements des agents de l'empereur hérétique, il remit son âme à Dieu et remporta la couronne incorruptible des vaillants confesseurs de l'Orthodoxie

Commémoration du martyre par le feu de saint Michel d'Agrapha (1544). (Office traduit en français par le père Denis Guillaume au tome III du Supplément aux Ménées.) (Cf. mémoire du saint au 10 mars.)

Saint GEORGES, martyr par la main des Musulmans (1800).

Saint THEODORE (Pozdeïev), archevêque, martyr par la main des Communistes (Russie 1938). 

Saint SERAPHIN de Vyritsa (Russie 1949).

Basil Muraviev (the future St Seraphim) was born in 1865 in the town of Cheremovsky in the Yaroslavl province. His parents, Nicholas and Chione, were peasants. When Basil was ten years old, his father died, and he was left to care for his ailing mother and his sister Olga.

A kind neighbor took Basil with him to St Petersburg, and found him a job as a store clerk. The boy had a secret desire to become a monk, so one day he went to the St Alexander Nevsky Lavra to speak to one of the Elders about this. The Elder advised him to remain in the world and raise a family, then after their children had grown, he and his wife were to serve God in the monastic life.

Basil accepted these words as the will of God, and so he lived his life as the Elder had directed. Returning to the store, Basil continued to work and send money home to his family. When he was twenty-four years old, Basil married his wife Olga.

He started his own business as a furrier, and became very wealthy. He had a son, Nicholas and a daughter, Olga. After their daughter's death, Basil and his wife agreed to live together as brother and sister from that time forward.

When he was around thirty, Basil gave away most of his wealth, donating money to various monasteries. When Nicholas was grown, Basil and Olga went to monasteries to serve God. Olga was tonsured in 1919 with the name Christina, and lived in the Resurrection-New Divyevo Monastery in St Petersburg. Later, she was tonsured into the schema and was given the name Seraphima. She died in 1945.

We do not know where Basil received monastic tonsure (some say it was on Mt Athos), nor the new name he was given at that time.

In 1927, he arrived at the St Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where he became Father Confessor to the monks. There he was tonsured into the schema with the name Seraphim. Soon it became apparent that St Seraphim had received from God the gifts of clairvoyance and healing, and many people came to him seeking his help and advice.

Bishop Alexei (Shimansky) of Novgorod came to the Elder in 1927 to ask if he should leave Russia, since many bishops and priests were facing arrest and execution under the Communist yoke. Before the bishop could utter a word, St Seraphim said, "Many now wish to leave Russia, but there is nothing to fear. You are needed here. You will become Patriarch and will rule for twenty-five years."

A time of trial came for the Lavra. Monks were arrested, exiled, and sent to labor camps. Many of them were executed. Beginning in 1929, the Elder was arrested fourteen times. He continued his priestly ministry in the prison camps, where he strengthened and encouraged his fellow-prisoners.

In 1933, the Elder returned from the camps and settled in Vyritsa. This was a very beautiful place with forests and a river, and it was known for its healthy climate. St Seraphim's health had deteriorated in the prison camps, and he had been beaten many times.

A wooden church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos had been built in Vyritsa in 1913 to commemorate the three hundredth anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The upper church has two altars: one dedicated to the Kazan Icon, the other to St Nicholas. The lower church was dedicated to St Seraphim of Sarov.

After he had recovered somewhat, Fr Seraphim began to receive visitors who came seeking advice and comfort from him. Many of those afflicted with illness received healing by his prayers. The authorities soon noticed the great numbers of people who came to him. His cell was searched many times, usually at night. Once, the police came to arrest the Elder, but a doctor told them that Fr Seraphim would not survive the trip because of his many infirmities. They decided to leave him alone, and so the Lord preserved the life of His servant.

The Germans entered Vyritsa in September of 1941, but no one was harmed, and there was no looting. During the War, Fr Seraphim became weak and now served only rarely in the chapel of St Seraphim. Starting in 1945, Fr Alexei Kibardin began serving in the Kazan church.

By the spring of 1949, St Seraphim was very weak and had to remain in bed. Still, he permitted visitors to come to him as before.

Shortly before his death, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to St Seraphim and told him to receive Holy Communion every day. Fr Alexei Kibardin would bring him Communion at 2 AM, but once he overslept and did not come until 4 AM. He apologized to the Elder for his tardiness, and noticed that there was a certain radiance around the saint. The Elder said, "Father, do not worry. The holy angels have already brought me Communion." Seeing his face, Fr Alexei knew that this was absolutely true!

The Elder told Fr Alexei to go to Moscow and inform Patriarch Alexei I that he would depart to the Lord in two weeks. When Fr Alexei relayed the message, the Patriarch turned to the holy icons and crossed himself. When he turned around again, tears were streaming down his cheeks. "I have been Patriarch for four years," he said. "Twenty-one years remain to me. This is what the holy Elder told me." Patriarch Alexei died in 1970, just as St Seraphim foretold.

St Seraphim departed to the Lord on March 21, 1949 (April 3 N.S.). In the hours before his death, he asked that the Akathists to the Most Holy Theotokos, to St Seraphim of Sarov, and to St Nicholas be read. For a week after his blessed repose, a sweet fragrance permeated Vyritsa.

St Seraphim was buried in the cemetery next to the church of the Kazan Icon in Vyritsa. Great throngs of people came for the funeral, and Vyritsa became a place of pilgrimage.

The schemamonk St Seraphim was glorified by the Church of Russia in August of 2000.