My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord, Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
+
SAINT ELIZABETH THE WONDER WORKER (Part II)
By the age of three, Elizabeth's father had already given her over to learning the sacred letters, that is, religious texts. The little girl exhibited much skill and ability in her lessons so that she was able to recite the lives of the Saints only after hearing their accounts once. Once she closed her twelfth year, Ephemia, the maiden's mother, departed this life. Evnomianus, her father, wished to arrange her marriage, but Elizabeth could not bear to hear about a match for herself. Her yearning was rather to be wedded to the Immortal Bridegroom, Christ. Thus the matter was at a standstill for the next three years, that is, until her father was translated to the Lord. The blessed maiden, thereafter, was left alone. She entrusted her life to God, the Father of the orphans. (Psalm 67:5) Since she still longed for the solitary life and poverty, she distributed the inheritance left her by her parents, which estate included gold and silver. There were also other belongings and properties--and they were considerable--which she dispensed. Thus, she offered her fortune to God through the hands of the needy. As for her menservants and maidservants, she gave them their freedom.
Elizabeth then repaired for the queen of cities, that is, Constantinople, without one backward glance. She made haste and went directly to the sacred philosophical school, that is, the Women's Monastery of the Holy and Great-Martyr George of "the little hill" as it was called. Elizabeth's paternal aunt was the Egoumene or Abbess. Thus, Elizabeth, in her early youth, undertook to tread the path of ascetic struggles and to dedicate her life as a bride of Christ. When she entered that hallowed place, she was already resolved to forsake the world and renounce the things of this world. She desired to become one of the assembly of pious nuns. She was clad in the Angelic Schema of the monastics, to which conduct of ascetic struggle she went forth with all her soul. Mother Elizabeth succeeded in attaining every kind of virtue, so as to become replete with all the gifts of the Spirit. Nourished on better hopes, she engaged in lengthy fasts and mortifying her body with hardships so as to bring it into subjection. In imitation of the Great Moses and Elias the Thesbite, she ofttimes engaged in forty-day fasts, without partaking of food. She never partook of oil, but was nourished solely upon the heavenly bread alone, that is, the Divine Eucharist. Since she was continually adorned with exalting humility and noetically contemplated divine beauty with the eyes of the heart, she did not wish to lift her eyes to heaven at all...
"...Two years after her sojourn in the Women's Monastery, her father's sister departed from this present life after appointing the Righteous Elizabeth as her successor. The office of Egoumene (Abbess) of the Monastery was confirmed by the great Gennadios, who was then steering the Patriarchate. This appointment was in accordance with the tradition of that time for the installation of the Gerondissa. By her godly labors, she manifested the superiority of her excellence and the height of her extreme virtue and perfection. She was accounted worthy by God of such divine energy that she was enabled to heal incurable diseases and dispel demons by invoking Christ.
Saint Elizabeth performed many and countless miracles by healing the sick, the demon-possessed. Those who invoke her name with simplicity, faith, and right intention immediately receive healing, by her holy intercessions, for whatsoever disease afflicts them. It is reported that even the soil about her tomb has proved to be a remedy for every sickness.
Such were the life, the works, and the spiritual gifts by which the Master of all glorified her both while she lived and after she was translated to the realms on high. Through her intercessions, many all of us, who desire to have rendered to us her protection and help, ever be preserved and held above both bodily and spiritual passions! Thus, in this way, may we escape harm from the scandals and stumbling blocks of the invisible and visible enemies. And having finished the present life in peace, may we attain thence that blessedness in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom belongs all glory, honor, and veneration, now and ever and to the ages of ages! Amen.
____________________
"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Holy Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!