My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord, Our Only True God, and Our Only True Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

ON 5TH MAY, THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY AND GREAT-MARTYR IRENE.

Saint Irene, the holy Great-Martyr, was born in the city of Magedon or Magedo. She lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great (306-337 A.D.). She was the sole offspring of her pagan parents, Licinius, who was a certain kinglet, and Licinia. Irene had been given the name of Penelope at birth. Since she was the fairest of maidens and surpassed in beauty all the other of the day, her father, who feared for his daughter, built a lofty tower to isolate Penelope. He also lodged thirteen other young maidens with her, amid whom she lived in luxury and wealth. She received such items as a throne, a table, and a lamp made of solid gold. She was six years of age when her father confined her to the tower. He also assigned a certain elderly Apellianos to supervise his sheltered little daughter's education.

One day, the Saint observed that a dove had entered the tower. The dove, bearing an olive branch in its beak, placed it on the golden table. Subsequent to this, she beheld an eagle fly into the tower. The creature was holding a wreath of plaited flowers in its beak, which it deposited on the table. Following close upon this delivery, she then noticed that a raven came in through the window, carrying a snake, which it also dropped on the golden table. Witnessing all this, the blessed virgin was perplexed and wondered at the meaning of these signs.

Apellianos interpreted all these signs for her, saying, "The dove makes known thy superior education; the olive branch signifies many wondrous events and is a symbol of Baptism. The eagle, being the king of birds, foretells, by the royal crown of flowers, future success in notable endeavors. But the raven and serpent disclose thy future sufferings and anguish." By these hidden meanings, the elderly teacher revealed the great struggle of martyrdom, which the Saint was to undergo one day for the sake of her love for God. All the events that followed concerning the holy Irene, which have been committed to writing, are indeed supernatural and paradoxical.

It is said that an Angel of the Lord gave her the name of Irene, changing it from Penelope. The incorporeal being instructed her in the Faith of the Christ and foretold that myriads of souls would be saved by means of her. Furthermore, Holy Apostle Timothy, a Disciple of Saint Paul, would visit her in a paradoxical manner and baptize her. When this latter prophecy was fulfilled, the blessed Irene cast her father's idols to the ground, shattering them. At first, the blessed Irene was questioned by her father who, upon seeing that she persisted in the beliefs of the Christian Faith, was intensely dissatisfied. He ordered that she be bound, Irene was then cast between many horses that they might trample upon her. However, one of the horses, instead of harming the Saint, turned on Licinius. It struck him down, crushing his right hand and slaying him. The horse then magnified the Saint with a human voice!

The Martyr was thereafter released from her bonds. At the request of the bystanders, she prayed and resurrected her father. Licinius came to believe in God, as did his wife Licinia. In fact, another three thousand people received holy Baptism. Thenceforth, Saint Irene's father abandoned his dominion and lived in the tower which he had built for his daughter, passing the rest of his life in repentance.

After her father renounced this world, another kinglet, named Sedekias, rose to power. He attempted to force the Saint to sacrifice to idols. Since she opposed his demand, he ordered that the blessed maiden be cast healing into a deep pit filled with a nest of venomous snakes and reptiles. After fourteen days, she emerged unscathed. Next, the idolaters bound her to a wheel that turned by the force of water. When the waters miraculously ceased flowing, the sacred damsel remained unharmed. As a result of this miracle, eight thousand people came to believe in Christ Jesus.

The Saint came to a city called Kallinikos (Callinicus). It was the seat of Numerianos the kinglet, the son of Savastianos. Once there, Irene appeared before him and proclaimed Christ. He, as a result, confined her to the interior of three bronze oxen, which figures were heated until they glowed red. He then had her transferred from the first to the second, and from the second to the third. The third ox, albeit it was inanimate, walked miraculously and then split asunder. The Saint, thereupon, exited uninjured, without the least trace of a burn or singed hair and attire.

By 330 A.D., the fame of the Saint's miracles reached the impious ears of Shapur II the Great, king of Persians, who ordered the beheading of the Saint. The victorious champion of Christ, Irene, was apprehended and her head was struck off. Though the Holy Martyr was interred, yet was she was resurrected by an Angel of God. He magnified her because she had been martyred for Christ. Moreover, those who honor her name and commemorate the day of her martyrdom also bring blessings upon themselves. After her resurrection, it is said that she entered the city of Mesembria, bearing an olive branch in her hand. Saint Irene appeared before the kinglet who, upon seeing her, straightaway, accepted Christ and was baptized with myriads of other people by the Priest Timothy. When the holy one returned to her parental home in Magedon, she mourned the death of her father. After visiting and bidding farewell to her mother, Saint Irene was caught up in a cloud and traveled to Ephesus, carrying many miracles. She was honored there as an Apostle. Thereafter, she also saw her teacher Apellianos.

Since Saint Irene had taught and exhorted the populace of Ephesus, she departed thence in the company of six followers, including Apellianios. Not too far from its outskirts, she came upon a newly constructed tomb wherein none had lain. She entered the tomb, and Apellianos sealed it with a stone. While Saint Irene was still among the living, the Saint ordered that, for four days, no one was to move the stone which Apellianos had placed over the grave. Two days later, he returned to the tomb, and--lo, the miracle!--he discovered the stone overturned and the body of the Saint missing. All these accounts may seem improbable to the limited intelligence of man, but to God, they are possible.

Myriads were brought to repentance and embraced Christ by her preaching and example. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)

CHRONIA POLLA TO ALL THOSE WHO CELEBRATE ON THE FEAST DAY OF SAINT IRENE THE GREAT MARTYR.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George