24 Marzo feste santi e memorie

Avant-fête de l'Annonciation de la Mère de Dieu. (Office traduit en français par le père Denis Guillaume au tome III des Ménées.) 

Troparion — Tone 4

Today is the prelude of joy for the universe! / Let us anticipate the feast and celebrate with exultation: / Gabriel is on his way to announce the glad tidings to the Virgin; / He is ready to cry out in fear and wonder: / Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with You!

Kontakion — Tone 8

You are the beginning of salvation for all of us on earth, Virgin Mother of God. / For the great Archangel Gabriel, God’s minister, was sent from heaven to stand before you to bring you joy: / Therefore, we all cry to you: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

 

Saint ARTEMON, disicple du saint apôtre Paul, évêque de Séleucie de Pisidie (Ier siècle). 

Le 24 mars, Avant-fête de l'Annonciation de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu, nous célébrons la mémoire de notre vénérable Père ARTEMON, Evêque de SELEUCIE, en Pisidie*

Saint Artémon naquit dans une famille noble de la ville de Séleucie. en Pisidie. Lorsqu'au cours de ses missions, le Saint Apôtre Paul fit halte dans cette cité pour y prêcher la Bonne Nouvelle, Artémon s'attacha à lui de tout son cur et, négligeant toute attache et toute autre préoccupation, il décida de se joindre aux disciples de l'Apôtre. Comme Paul s'embarquait pour Chypre (Actes 13:4), il le suivit et endura avec lui de nombreux périls, en vue d'annoncer à tous les hommes le Salut. Quand l'Apôtre fut mis en prison et enchaîné, il fut enchaîné avec lui, et c'est avec joie qu'il souffrit avec lui persécutions et flagellations, complétant en son corps ce qui manquait à la Passion de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (cf. Col. 1:24). Quand il eut atteint la pleine stature de la plénitude du Christ, il fut désigné par l'Apôtre comme Evêque de sa patrie, Séleucie. Le bienheureux Artémon fut dès lors le protecteur des veuves, le père des orphelins, le havre de salut pour tous ceux qui étaient en péril, le médecin des âmes et des corps, le toit des sans-toit, se faisant tout polir toits, à l'exemple de son maître Saint Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 9:22). Il prenait un soin tout particulier pour l'éducation de son clergé, et célébrait chaque jour la Sainte Liturgie devant son troupeau spirituel rassemblé. Il avait en effet convaincu ses fidèles que les fêtes elles-mêmes sont sans joie pour ceux qui ne se soucient pas de leur âme; mais pour les amis de la vertu, il est normal que chaque jour devienne une fête et comme un dimanche ininterrompu.

Ayant ainsi orné son Eglise de ses vertus et de ses Enseignements Apostoliques, Saint Artémon remit son âme au Seigneur dans un âge très avancé, recevant pour récompense de ses labeurs les biens éternels et le Royaume des cieux, préparés par Dieu pour Ses Saints depuis la création du monde.

*Le Synaxaire de S. Nicodème commémore aussi aujourd'hui S. Artémon de Laodicée, lequel est généralement mentionné le 12 (ou 13) avril dans les manuscrits du Synaxaire de Constantinople, c'est donc à cette date que nous avons placé sa notice. Certains recueils, notamment slaves, commémorent également aujourd'hui S. Artémon. évêque de Thessalonique. S. Nicodème mentionne, en outre, les huit martyrs de Palestine qui ont déjà été commémorés le 15 mars.

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/03/24/100878-st-artemon-menignus-the-bishop-of-seleucia

Saint LATIN ou LATINUS, évêque de Brescia en Lombardie, confesseur (vers 115).

Saints MARC et TIMOTHEE, martyrs à Rome sous Antonin (entre 138 et 161).

Saint EPIGMENE, prêtre, martyr à Rome sous Dioclétien (entre 303 et 305). 
Saints ROMULE (ROMULUS) et SECOND (SECUNDUS), frères selon la chair, martyrs en Afrique sous Dioclétien (304).

HUIT martyrs de Césarée de Palestine qui périrent lors de la persécution de Julien l'Apostat (entre 360 et 363).

A Cesarea in Palestina, santi martiri Timolao, Dionigi, Pauside, Romolo, Alessandro e un altro Alessandro, che, durante la persecuzione dello imperatore Diocleziano, condotti con le mani legate davanti al prefetto Urbano, confessarono di essere cristiani e pochi giorni dopo, insieme ai compagni Agapio e ad un altro Dionigi, con la decapitazione meritarono la corona della vita eterna.

Saint ZACHARIE de Scété, ascète en Egypte (IVème siècle)

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Saint MARTIN de Thèbes, mort en paix.

Saint DOMANGARD ou DONARD, ermite en Irlande (vers 500).

Saint MACARTAN, évêque en Irlande (vers 505).

A Clogher in Irlanda, san Mac Cairthind, vescovo, ritenuto discepolo di san Patrizio.

Sainte KRISTELL ou CHRISTINE, cousine de saint Hervé, moniale en Bretagne (VIème siècle).

Saint CAIRLON ou CAORLAN, évêque de Cashel en Irlande (VIème siècle).

Saint CAIMIN, fondateur de monastère en Irlande (653).

Sainte HILDELITH, Anglaise de nation, moniale en France, puis abbesse en Angleterre (vers 712).

Saint ABRAHAM, ascète sur le Mont Latros.

Saint ETIENNE, ascète sur le Mont Latros.

Saint SEVERE, évêque de Catane en Sicile (vers 800).

Saint ZACHARIE le Jeûneur, ascète de la Laure des Grottes de Kiev (XIIIème siècle). Saint Zachariah the Faster of the Caves was an ascetic in the Far Caves in the thirteenth-fourteenth centuries. He fasted so strictly that he ate nothing baked nor boiled, and he consumed only greens once a day at the setting of the sun. Demons trembled at the mere mention of his name.

Often the monk saw angels, with which he deserved to live in Heaven. The identification of St Zachariah, Faster of Caves, with Zachariah the son of John of Kiev, who had given all his inheritance for the adornment of the Caves temple and became a monk at the monastery, is unfounded.

Before his death, John had transferred his property to his friend Sergius. This was when the igumen was St Nikon (March 23). Zachariah was five years old at the time. At age fifteen, i.e., not later than the year 1098, he obtained his inheritance from Sergius, in order to give it to the monastery. However, St Zachariah the Faster of the Caves lived approximately 200 years later.



Saints PIERRE et ETIENNE, martyrs à Kazan par la main des Musulmans (1552).

 

L'icône de la Mère de Dieu "DE LA MONTAGNE FERTILE" ("TOUTCHNAÏA GORA"). The Uncut," or "Clouded Mountain" Icon of the Mother of God: About 250-300 years ago this icon was in one of the men's monasteries of Tver and was presented by the Superior to Cosmas Volchaninov in gratitude for his fine work in the monastery church. This icon was passed on from generation to generation, but a certain impious grandson of Cosmas removed it and placed the icon in an attic.

His bride endured many insults from her husband and his relatives. In despair over her marriage she resolved to commit suicide in a deserted bath-house. On the way there a monk appeared to her and said, "Where are you going, unhappy one? Go back, pray to the Theotokos of The Clouded Mountain, and you will live in peace."

The agitated young wife returned home and revealed everything, not concealing her interrupted intention. They searched for the monk, but they did not find him, and no one had seen him but her. This took place on the eve of the Feast of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos.

They found the icon in the attic, cleaned off the dirt and set it up in the house in a place of honor. In the evening, the parish priest served the all-night Vigil before the icon. From that time, Vigil was served in the house every year on this day.

For more than 150 years the icon was in the Volchaninov family. Katherine, daughter of Basil, the last of the Volchaninov line, married George Ivanovich Konyaev, taking with her the icon of the Mother of God as a precious inheritance. Moliebens and all-night vigils were served in the Konyaev house on March 24 and November 7 (perhaps this was the day when the icon was transferred from the monastery to the house of Cosmas Volchaninov).

In 1863 near a cemetery church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God it was decided to build a chapel in honor of St Tikhon and St Macarius of Kalyazin. The then owner of the icon, George Konyaev (who died in 1868 at the age of 97) wanted to donate the icon of the Theotokos to the church. He asked the clergy to build another chapel for the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of the "Clouded Mountain."

He also said, "I feel the very best place for it is the temple of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, since the place on which the church was built, in former times was called a Mount, since it was the highest place in the city. The inhabitants took their possessions to the Mount and saved themselves from ruin during a flood. Let the icon, The Clouded Mountain, remain on this mountain with your blessing, and let all who are buried here be veiled with Her mercy." On July 15, 1866 the icon was transferred into the new chapel, which was consecrated by Bishop Anthony of Staritsk the following day.

On the icon the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted standing on a semi-circular elevation, a mountain; on Her left arm, the Divine Infant blesses with His right hand. Upon the head of the Mother of God is a crown, and in Her hand a mountain, on which are seen above churches with cupolas and crosses.

This icon should not be confused with the "Stone of the Mountain not cut by Hands" Icon on the iconostasis of the cathedral of the Transfiguration at Solovki. The latter depicts the Theotokos in half-length, holding Her Son in Her left hand. In Her right hand, She holds a ladder and a stone with the image of Christ's head (the King of Kings). Instead of the usual stars on her head and shoulders are the heads of angels. The title of the icon is derived from Daniel 2:44-45.

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/03/24/100883-icon-of-the-mother-of-god-of-ldquothe-uncut-mountrdquo

Saint PARTHENE ou PARTHENIOS III, patriarche oecuménique de Constantinople (1656-1657), martyr par la main des Musulmans (1657).

Saint VLADIMIR, prêtre, martyr par la main des Communistes (Russie 1920