- Zachariah and Elizabeth
- Athansii
- Urban, Theodore, Medimnos and with them 77 Men of Churchly Rank
- Avdi
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| also remembered today are Prince Gleb, Thiphael and his sister Thivea, and the soldiers Juventinus and Maximus (no essays) | |
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Zachariah and Elizabeth were the parents of John the Baptist. They were descended from the lineage of Aaron: Zachariah, son of Barach, was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and Elizabeth was the sister of Anna [see References, right] -- the mother of the MostHoly Mother of God. The righteous spouses, "comporting themselves through all the commandments of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:5-25), suffered barrenness, which in the Old Testament times was considered a punishment from God. However, during a service in the Temple, Zachariah received the news from an Angel, that his aged wife would bear him a son, who "wilt be great before the Lord" (Luke 1:15) and "wilt go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias" (Luke 1:17). Zachariah was doubtful of the possibility of the fulfilling of this prediction, and for his weakness of faith he was punished by becoming unable to speak. When Elizabeth gave birth to a son, she announced that his name was John, although no one in their family had ever had this name. The people in attendance to Elizabeth asked Zachariah and he wrote that the child's name would be John. Immediately the gift of speech returned to him, and inspired of the Holy Spirit, he began to prophesy about his son being the Forerunner of the Lord. When Herod heard from the Magi about the birth of the Messiah, he decided to kill all the infants up to 2 years old who lived in Bethlehem and its surroundings, hoping that he would kill the new-born Messiah. Herod also knew about the unusual birth of John and he wanted to kill him, too. However, Elizabeth hid herself away with the infant in the hills [see References, right]. The murderers searched everywhere for John. So, Elizabeth, catching sight of her pursuers, began tearfully to implore God concerning their safety, and immediately the hill opening up concealed her together with the infant from their pursuers. Soldiers sent by Herod tried in vain to learn from Zachariah the whereabouts of his son, but Zachariah would not tell them. Then, by command of Herod, they murdered this holy prophet, having stabbed him betwixt the offertory and the altar (Mt 23:35). Elizabeth died 40 days after her spouse, and John, preserved by the Lord, lived in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to the nation of Israel. |
Notes for this article: Places: References: The mother of Mary? The flight of Elizabeth? |
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Athansii [Afanasii] of Bretsk was Belorussian (Belarus) and was born in about the year 1597 into a Christian family named Philippovich. He studied theological and historical literature, as is evidenced by his diary, which has been preserved. When a young man, Athanasii was a teacher in the houses of Polish merchants. In the year 1627, he accepted tonsure under hegumen (abbot) Joseph at the Vilensk monastery of the Holy Spirit. Athanasii was ordained priest-monk in the year 1632 and made hegumen (abbot) of the Duboisk [Dubovsk] monastery near Pinsk. Athanasii re-established Orthodoxy within the boundaries of the ancient Russian territories that had been seized by the Poles. He critized the Uniats [see Definitions, right], for which he was sentenced to death and died on 4 or 5 September 1648. |
Notes for this article: Places: People: Definitions: Uniats |
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The Martyrs Urban, Theodore, Medimnos and with them 77 Men of Churchly Rank suffered at Nikomedia (Izmit) during the reign of the Arian-heretic emperor Valentus (Valens) (364-378 or 379). Under Valentus, the Orthodox bishop Euagrios was banished, and Christians who did not follow the Arians were imprisoned. The Orthodox Christians petitioned protection from Valentus and sent 80 men of religious rank, headed by Urban, Theodore, and Medimnos. Having heard their complaints, Valentus quietly he summoned the eparch [see Definitions, right] Modestus and ordered him to put the delegates to death. Modestus put the delegates on a ship and ordered the ship-officers to burn the ship on the open sea (+370). |
Notes for this article: Places: Nikomedia (Izmit) People: References: Defintions: eparch |
| The Martyr Avdi [or Habib] suffered in Persia during the reign of the emperor Izdegerd I for his refusal to renounce Christ and instead worship the sun and fire. He died after tormenting tortures and until his final gasp he gave thanks to God, for blessing His chosen one to die for His Holy Name. |
Notes for this article: Places: References: |