This saint lived during the time of the emperor Traian, son of Joseph’s fiancé and brother of Jacob; Christ Himself and our God taking him, and receiving him called him brother, anointed him a priest, to preach to him the glorified coming. That is why, laboring with all kinds of toils and sweats, he adorned the seat of Jerusalem like a shepherd, and not like a madman, and making himself the seat of the Holy Spirit, he broke and broke the heads of the idols, and pointing to the light those went astray, enduring punishments with many pains for the right faith, he was also crucified, being one hundred and twenty years old, and from there he returned to his desired Redeemer Christ. This blessed man deserved to have two names, because his name is also Simon and Simeon, and he was the brother of Jacob and Christ.
Also on this day, the commemoration of our pious father John the Confessor, the abbot of the Monastery called Cataron.
This blessed John was born in Irinopolis, which was one of the cities of the Decapolis, the son of Christian and God-loving parents, named Theodore and Grigoria. When he was nine years old he went to the monastery, where he became a monk, and being obedient and humble and obedient, he was loved by his teacher. And he went with him to the Seventh Ecumenical Synod, which gathered for the second time in Nicaea, then, later, in Constantinople.
His teacher became an archimandrite and abbot of the monastery of Dalmat; and he became a monk and a priest and from there he was sent by the emperor Nichifor abbot of the Cataron Monastery. With the pleasure of God and apostolically he led the flock of Christ for more than ten years and was loved by all people. And the temptations of all the world spied by the devil hating good were revealed to the blessed one, and gathering and advising all the brothers, exhorting them also to the proper ones, he said to them: “Watch your parents and brothers, lest you be stolen by the devil and do not renounce the worship of the holy icons; for you will not see me among the living.”
And while he was speaking these things, some stubborn men sent by Leon the fighter against the icons came, scattered the whole flock, and those they found in the monastery with the parents, they divided as their own. And they took their shepherd in chains to Byzantium, leaving the monastery in the spoils. The saint going to the emperor, and calling him a heathen and condemned and many other things shamelessly saying to him, set him to anger. For which he was terribly beaten on the cheek with an ox vein. And the blessed rejoiced in suffering for Christ; and after that being imprisoned, in his metoco for three months, he was exiled to a fortress called Pentadactylon in the borders of Lamba. There binding his feet with chains, they put him in a dark prison, leaving him there for eighteen months. And after this they brought him naked into the city, before the emperor to mock. And after many reasons of words, it was given to John, who unworthily was then patriarch of the Great Church, who showed much cruelty to the saint, starving him for a long time, after which he presented him again to the emperor , and the emperor sent him to a camp called Criotavron of the Bucelars, and imprisoned him there for two whole years. Where from much evil passion the flesh on his body had completely dried up; but the saint, suffering all of them, glorified God with gratitude.
And after Leon the Armenian was stabbed, and Mihail Travlul reigned in his place, all the exiles being freed, the saint also went to Chalcedon, not being allowed to enter the city. And after that, when Theophilus became king, the pious one wanted to settle in some monastery together with other fathers; then being caught by the patriarch of that time and suffering terrible troubles, the blessed one was exiled to the island of Afusia where, turning two and a half years old, he saw some vision, and announcing to those with him his move, after three days, he went to the Lord.
Also on this day, the commemoration of the holy apostles Aristarchus, Mark and Zinon.
These saints were of the seventy; and Aristarchus is the one whom Paul mentions in the Epistle to the Romans, and who was bishop of Apamia in Syria, subject to the first apostles’ seats. He first of all preached Christ the true God.
And Mark is the one that John used to call. Of whom Luke mentions in the Acts of the Apostles and who was made bishop by the apostles in Vivlopolis.
And Zinon is the one, whom the apostle writes in the Epistle to the Romans the lawgiver, and who was first made a bishop by the apostle Peter, in Diospolis; he taught by preaching Christ the true God.
These many evil passions, suffering from the unbelievers for the rebuilding of churches, and for the breaking of idols, and themselves becoming workers of miracles and healings, moved to the Lord.
Also on this day, the commemoration of the holy martyr Puplie, who was killed by the sword.
Also on this day, the commemoration of the saint Evloghie, the welcomer of foreigners, which took place peacefully.
Also on this day, the commemoration of the holy martyr Lolion the New, who was dragged on the ground, took place.
With their holy prayers, Lord, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
text source: calendar-ortodox.ro
illustrative photo: Celic Dere Monastery
