My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord, and Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
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ON MAY 9th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE FEAST OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER THE GREAT MARTYR
Saint Christopher, the holy and great Martyr of Christ, was vouchsafed the crown of martyrdom during the reign of the unjust pagan Roman emperor Decius (249-251 A.D.). From his youth, the Saint had been called Reprobus. During that epoch, the rulers were possessed by a frenzied madness against the pious Christians. The lawless emperor had issued an outrageous decree. His foul command urged the ill use of the righteous and godly slaves of the Christians, with the application of violence, if they could not be coerced into eating meats offered and sacrificed to idols. These foods had been defiled by the sprinkling of the blood of sacrificial victims. Those who consented not to deny Christ were to be subjected to ten thousand torments, which led to death in a most horrifying manner. All the rulers and governors of the cities of the realm made it a point to appear compliant and obedient to the crown. The impious, as a result, were afforded no small protection by law while the pious were being persecuted.
One of the emperor's military commanders, at that time, who was engaged in a campaign against other nations, encountered the blessed Reprobus. The latter hailed from the tribe of the dog-faced, whom the general apprehended. (The dog-faced, according to the Greek compilers, must signify that the Saint was not comely but rather had an ill-favored facial appearance...Although he had a look that was displeasing to the senses, and even frightening and wild-looking, yet his inner man was Christ-like.) The blessed Reprobus did not bear the least character resemblance to his countrymen. Indeed, he may be described as prudent and noble-minded, and as one who kept the divine words in his heart. The man of God observed how the idol-worshipers were torturing each of the Christians, which was ushering in no small grief for such a one as Reprobus who was predisposed toward sympathy. With such a compassionate turn of mind, his fellow-feeling toward the sufferers stirred him. Since, however, he was ignorant of the language of the idol madmen who had captured him, he was unable either to reason with or to rebuke the benighted ones. There was no one with whom he could speak and come to an understanding. He prostrated himself to the ground, supplicating the Lord with tears that he might be endowed with the power to converse with his pagan captors. He noetically offered up this prayer:
"O Lord God, the Almighty, hearken to my low estate and humiliation. Show Thy compassion to me, the unworthy one. Open my lips and grant me to speak as the men of this place that I might be able to reprove the tyrant."
While Reprobus was praying in this manner, he found before him a certain light-bearing youth who addressed him and said, "Thine entreaty has been heard, O Reprobus. So then, rise up and receive grace from the Lord."
The holy man rose up, at which point the light-bearing being touched Reprobus' lips. Straightway, as the Angel breathed upon his mouth, Reprobus was enabled to speak freely. He then, at once, marched into the city. He viewed the Christians undergoing punishment, which sight pained his heart. It was as if he were receiving those scourges. He, thereupon, directed his words to the idolaters, speaking on behalf of his fellow Christians, saying, "O guides of the darkness and those full of every transgression, does it not suffice to surrender your own souls to Satan, but must you compel even us, who fear the one, God, to perish along with you? I am a Christian and I do not condescend to venerate your vain gods and useless abominations." As the holy Reprobus was speaking, Vachthios, one of the pagan officers, happened to be near him. He struck Reprobus on the mouth. The blessed man, not giving reign to anger, turned to him and said modestly, "My Savior Christ is preventing me from retaliating; thus, I shall not render a fitting recompense. But should I become angry, all of thy perverse kingdom would not be able to vanquish me."
Vachthios, goaded by this statement, turned on his heel and departed for the city where the emperor was abiding. He submitted his report to the emperor, adding the following verbal declarations: "Sir, a few days ago, while the authorities were punishing the Christians, in accordance with thy divine command, there appeared a young man in the midst of the people. He can only be described as a huge and dreadful giant. He has the form and looks of a wild man. His teeth jut out from his mouth, even as a swine. He has a head like a dog. Simply put, he is so unsightly that he defies description. Now this very tall fellow was blaspheming both the gods and thy realm. Decius deemed it prudent to investigate the matter. He, immediately, summoned two hundred soldiers and dispatched them with these words: "Bind this giant, named Reprobus, and conduct him here before me. In the event, he should resist, cut him into a thousand pieces. Only bring forward his head that I may see for myself if he is the frightening ogre that this coward claims."
Now the soldiers, whom Decius dispatched to arrest the righteous man, arrived there the very moment Reprobus was engaged in prayer outside the church. From a distance, they decried his features and became frightened. As a result, they did not dare to draw near. But one of the soldiers plucked up courage and rallied his comrades, saying, "Why should we fear one lone man who is unarmed?" Thus, they approached and questioned him in this wise: "Whence comest thou and why weepest thou?" Reprobus gave an answer, speaking with a humble tone, "I weep for the sake of men who are wanting in understanding. Such ones have left off venerating the True God for senseless graven images". When the soldiers, therefore, heard him speak to them with meekness, they became bold and declared unto him: "Our emperor has commissioned us to bind you and lead you before his presence because you will not pay homage to the ancient gods but rather a new one."
Reprobus replied, "If you will let me, I will come of my own volition; for you shall not be able to drag me bound before him. The reason for this is that my Master Christ loosed the bonds of my iniquities and delivered me from Satan, your father."
The most wicked and unrighteous Decius was thinking of diverse methods to inflict a violent death upon Christ's witness. He, thereupon, ordered that a huge stone--necessitating thirty men to drag it--be brought to him. A hole was bored into the stone, through which a chain was passed. One end of the chain was tied around the neck of the Saint. After they fettered the hands and feet of Christopher, he was cast inside a deep well. The idolaters thought it impossible that he should ever exit from that darkest of places. But in vain did they meditate these things. This is because an Angel of the Lord descended and led forth the Saint, alive and unwounded. Decius, beholding such an extrication, became demonized from his own perniciousness. Why? Because he saw he was unable to put to death one naked and unarmed man. Decius then asked the Saint, "Until when shall thy magic arts keep thee intact? Is it not possible, then, to blot thee out of existence by the many tortures to which I have thrown upon you?" The Saint replied, "Christ sustains me to the end of this life, my temporal one; for I have Him for my helper. While I am in this life, I despise your inventions."
The tyrant, whose thoughts were bent to contrive means to be rid of Christopher, responded by giving instructions for the making of the garment of copper. After it was constructed, it was mightily heated. Christopher was fitted with the shirt. The heat of red-hot copper, nonetheless, never touched Christopher; thus, he remained unscathed. Decius, therefore, handed down his final decision when he said, "Since this most incorrigible and useless fellow foolishly slights my own commands, I command the severing of his revolting and ugly head."
The beheaders, thereupon, drew him to the place of execution. A multitude of people, both idolaters, and Christians followed after the Saint. When they arrived at the site, Saint Christopher requested leave from the headsman that he might first pray. Having received permission, Saint Christopher prayed to God in the hearing of the whole company. He uttered these words: "O Lord Thou also come now as my enemy together with his minions. Therefore, do Thou also come as my supporter and flank me, O All-Good Lord. Receive my spirit in peace and number me with the least of Thy slaves. As for the unjust Decius, render to him the deserving reward of his irreverence. May he be delivered up to Satan for the devouring and destruction of the flesh..."
After the Saint prayed in this manner, there came forth a voice out of the heavens, saying, "All, of whatsoever thou didst ask of Me, was My will to fulfill that I do not sorrow thee...Do you, therefore, come that you mightest enjoy the good things and gladness which have been prepared for you." Saint Christopher, hearing these promises, rejoiced and said to the executioner, "Child, do that which you have been charged to perform." The decapitator, drawing near to Saint Christopher with much fear and reverence, then swung his sword and severed that honorable head. It should be noted that, after the execution, the same executioner took his own life and died upon the sacred body of the martyr. The day of the martyrdom was the 9th day of May. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George