My beloved spiritual child in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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ON JULY 26th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE FEAST OF OUR HOLY MOTHER PARASKEVE (PARASKEVA)
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Mother Paraskeve was thirty years old when the pagan emperor of Old Rome was Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.). The holy nun preached to both the Greek pagans and the Jews, bringing ma to the knowledge of God. However, in one city, where she proclaimed the Gospel, certain Jews were inimical towards the Christians. When they beheld the Christian community growing, they became antagonistic and outraged at her missionary activities.
Now emperor Antoninus would not execute a Christian without a trial. A Christian could only stand trial if a formal complaint were lodged by a citizen of Rome. However, Antoninus found it expedient to repeal this law after many disasters befell the imperial city. To placate the Roman populace, the persecution of Christians was permitted. It was widely held that the Romans were made to suffer by their deities for laxity in dealing with the Christians. Now the persecution continued for several years until Antoninus found it necessary to reverse his ruling. Indeed, at one point, he found it necessary to protect the Christians against the unjustified hysteria and mania of certain Jews and Greek pagans.
Undaunted, several disgruntled Jews lodged complaints against the venerable Nun Paraskeve. They presented their case before emperor Antoninus, saying, 'Many years to the, O emperor: Though many have conformed to your imperial decree, yet there is a certain woman, named Paraskeve, who preaches Christ, the son of Mary, Whom our fathers crucified as a deceiver and contrary to God. This nun proclaims Him as the only true God and that the deities of your realm are deaf and senseless wood.
Upon hearing this accusation, the emperor was filled with wrath. Straightaway, the emperor sent soldiers to apprehend Nun Paraskeve. Brought before the imperial tribunal, all were astonished at her loveliness. The emperor, admitting her beauty, began to flatter her, saying, 'O Paraskeve, I, by the power of the great gods, praise your youthfulness! On that account, I counsel you to sacrifice unto the gods who gave you your beauty. If you will comply with my words, I shall bestow many gifts upon you. If you will remain steadfast in your own willfulness, disdaining our commands, know this, I shall punish you by many tortures. Indeed, only by hearing and seeing such tortures strikes panic in people, not to mention the actual suffering!
Alternating threats with praises, he uttered many other things. Mother Paraskeve then made the sign of the Precious Cross, and answered him, 'Do not think, O emperor, that either by flatteries or threats that I could renounce my sweet Jesus Christ. Indeed, there does not exist even one torment, punishment, or affliction which can separate me from His love" (Romans 8:35).
Upon hearing this bold response, the pagan emperor, infuriated, ordered that an iron helmet, fired to be burning hot, was to be placed on the nun's head. However, as the Lord preserved the Three Children in the Babylonian furnace (Daniel 3:25-26), He wrought a miracle (wonder) in His Saint, Paraskeve. When the fiery helmet was placed upon her, it felt as cool water upon her head. Then he ordered that the holy nun be imprisoned until he could decide what means of torture would lead to death.
The angered emperor ordered his men to hang the Saint upon a pole by her hair. The soldiers were then ordered to take lit torches and burn her armpits and extremities. Suffering all these torments, the Saint bravely endured, rebuking and mocking the emperor and his false gods.
Observing that this torture was of no account to the holy nun, he commanded a large cauldron of oil and pitch be prepared. Coming to a rolling boil, he had the holy woman cast inside. Saint Paraskeve then stood rejoicing in the midst of the cauldron, as though in a cool and dewy garden.
Astounded at this miraculous spectacle, the emperor approached the cauldron and asked her, 'Sprinkle me with the oil, O Paraskeve, I, too, desire to know if it is indeed burning pitch and oil or if it is an illusion that I see you not burning.' Cupping her two hands together, the Saint filled her hands with oil and pitch. Casting the concoction into his face, instantly, the emperor was stricken with blindness. Letting out a loud cry, he said, 'Grieve for me, O handmaid of the True God! Grant me the light of my eyes, because I too, believe in the God Whom you preach.'
Christ's all-round contestant then left the cauldron. Healing both his body and soul, she baptized him in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the One Godhead.
After this, emperor Antoninus Pius came to believe in Christ, and cast off the vile religion of the pagan Greeks. Having formerly received the seeds of impiety, the emperor now enjoyed cultivation by the Gospel. Thus, during this reign, all persecutions against Christians in the Roman Empire ceased. Released, Saint Paraskeve left Rome and went to other cities and countries, heralding the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, in Rome, the death of emperor Antoninus Pius ushered in the reign of his nephew, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (161-180 A.D.). During his reign, pestilence besieged Rome that brought death for much of the populace. The pagans, looking for scapegoats, believed that their gods were punishing them because of their permissiveness with allowing the Christians to flourish. Thus, the emperor felt compelled to change the laws regarding the treatment and persecution of Christians.
Entering a new city, the Saint preached the word of Truth. The king of that region, Tarasios, learning of her missionary activities, had her presented before his tribunal. The unconscionable and hard-hearted king Tarasios had Mother Paraskeve stretched, prone to the earth, by her hand and feet. A large marble slab was then placed upon her chest. Christ's athlete was made to undergo this punishment, by order of the king, until he chose the manner of her death.
That evening, Christ, escorted by a multitude of Angels and Archangels, appeared to the Saint, and said, 'Rejoice, Paraskeve, O beautiful virgin! Do not be timid amid the torments, because My grace shall be with you to deliver you from every temptation. Be patient a little while longer, and then you shall reign with Me forever.' After Christ healed her wounds and released her from her bonds, He ascended into the heavens.
Following this, the king dispatched his soldiers to bring Nun Paraskeve before him. Beholding the prisoner perfectly healthy, without a trace of yesterday's wounds, he marveled and remarked, 'You see, O woman, how the philanthropic and great gods love you?' '...do not appear as an ingrate before them. Come, let us worship in their temple where you shall also receive many of my gifts.'
The holy Nun, consumed with zeal for the Master Christ, answered, 'O king, you gods did not restore my health, but my Christ, the True God, in Whom I believe and worship. However, since you have invited me to enter with you into the temple of your gods, let us go and see which gods you bid me to venerate.'
When everyone entered the temple, all waited with anticipated to view the actions of Christ's athlete. The Saint then raised her right hand before the idol of Apollo, and said, 'Do you, O lifeless idol, want to receive, as God, a sacrifice from me?' Saying these words and making the sign of the Cross, the demon that dwelt in the idol cried aloud, 'I am not God, and neither are any of the idols. Only he Whom you preach is Truly God. The Saint, preparing to drive out the demon with divinely-given authority, responded, 'Why then do you stand now, since I am a handmaid of the True God?' Straightway, while the Saint spoke, emanating from the idol upon the altar could be heard shouts, confusion, and laments. The idol, demolished by the lever of her prayers and presence, fell down and shattered. Whereupon, the temple pagan priests and other idolaters seized the righteous nun from the base of the altar. Beating and pushing her out of the temple, they cried out to the king, 'Slay this sacrilegious woman who offends the gods...
Hearing the demand of the mob and acknowledging the impossibility of dissuading Paraskeve, he pronounced the sentence: 'I command that you be escorted outside the city so that your impious head be struck off!' After this, the soldiers took hold of the Saint and led her out of the city to behead her. Permission was granted to Paraskeve to pray before her execution. Following her prayer to her Master Jesus Christ, Saint Paraskeve inclined her head, which was struck off by a soldier, at the king's command. The date was July 26, 180 A.D.
The Saint's revered holy relics were taken by certain Christians, who hid for fear of the pagan Greeks. Anointing her holy relics with myrrh and sweet-smelling spices, she was laid to rest in a solemn place.
The Lord, desiring to make wondrous His Saint, granted countless miracles at her tomb. Many infirm came and, by only taking the soil from her tomb, received healing. The Saint lavished healing upon the lame, enabling them to walk. So many blind, received their sight that the Saint came to be known as the patroness of the blind. Many other miracles and extraordinary signs came to those who in faith invoked Saint Paraskeve's intercessions. (Source: The Lives of the Spiritual Mothers)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George