Archippus was one of the Seventy Apostles. The Apostle Paul mentions him in
his Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. "And tell Archippus,
`See that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord'
" (Colossians 4:17) as well as in his letter to Philemon
calling him his fellow soldier in the battle: "To Archippus our
fellow soldier" (Philemon 1:2). In the town of Colossae, the
center of Christianity was in the home of Philemon. Here Christians gathered
for prayer. In writing to Philemon, the Apostle Paul called this "the
church at your house" (Philemon 1:2). At that time,
the apostles ordained their disciples as bishops; some of them in permanent
places and others as missionaries traveling to various places. Philemon was one
of the latter. Apphia, Philemon's wife, hosted and served in the domestic
church! At the time of a pagan feast to the goddess Artemis, according to
their custom, all the faithful in Colossae, gathered in the home of Philemon for
prayer. The pagans, learning of this gathering, rushed and apprehended all the
Christians; Philemon, Apphia and Archippus, as leaders. At first, they were
whipped and afterwards they were buried up to their waists and they began to
stone them. Thus, they killed Philemon and Apphia and, Archippus they removed
from the pit barely alive and left him to the amusement of the children. The
children pierced him throughout with knives. Thus, this "fellow soldier"
in battle ended well in the course of his earthly path.
Showing posts with label Martyr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Martyr. Show all posts
Sunday, February 19, 2012
THE HOLY APOSTLES ARCHIPPUS, PHILEMON AND APPHIA
From the Prologue:
Archippus was one of the Seventy Apostles. The Apostle Paul mentions him in
his Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. "And tell Archippus,
`See that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord'
" (Colossians 4:17) as well as in his letter to Philemon
calling him his fellow soldier in the battle: "To Archippus our
fellow soldier" (Philemon 1:2). In the town of Colossae, the
center of Christianity was in the home of Philemon. Here Christians gathered
for prayer. In writing to Philemon, the Apostle Paul called this "the
church at your house" (Philemon 1:2). At that time,
the apostles ordained their disciples as bishops; some of them in permanent
places and others as missionaries traveling to various places. Philemon was one
of the latter. Apphia, Philemon's wife, hosted and served in the domestic
church! At the time of a pagan feast to the goddess Artemis, according to
their custom, all the faithful in Colossae, gathered in the home of Philemon for
prayer. The pagans, learning of this gathering, rushed and apprehended all the
Christians; Philemon, Apphia and Archippus, as leaders. At first, they were
whipped and afterwards they were buried up to their waists and they began to
stone them. Thus, they killed Philemon and Apphia and, Archippus they removed
from the pit barely alive and left him to the amusement of the children. The
children pierced him throughout with knives. Thus, this "fellow soldier"
in battle ended well in the course of his earthly path.
Archippus was one of the Seventy Apostles. The Apostle Paul mentions him in
his Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. "And tell Archippus,
`See that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord'
" (Colossians 4:17) as well as in his letter to Philemon
calling him his fellow soldier in the battle: "To Archippus our
fellow soldier" (Philemon 1:2). In the town of Colossae, the
center of Christianity was in the home of Philemon. Here Christians gathered
for prayer. In writing to Philemon, the Apostle Paul called this "the
church at your house" (Philemon 1:2). At that time,
the apostles ordained their disciples as bishops; some of them in permanent
places and others as missionaries traveling to various places. Philemon was one
of the latter. Apphia, Philemon's wife, hosted and served in the domestic
church! At the time of a pagan feast to the goddess Artemis, according to
their custom, all the faithful in Colossae, gathered in the home of Philemon for
prayer. The pagans, learning of this gathering, rushed and apprehended all the
Christians; Philemon, Apphia and Archippus, as leaders. At first, they were
whipped and afterwards they were buried up to their waists and they began to
stone them. Thus, they killed Philemon and Apphia and, Archippus they removed
from the pit barely alive and left him to the amusement of the children. The
children pierced him throughout with knives. Thus, this "fellow soldier"
in battle ended well in the course of his earthly path.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer
Commemorated December 20.
From the Prologue from Ochrid.
This holy man is called ``the God-bearer'' because he constantly bore the name of the Living God in his heart and on his lips. According to tradition, he was thus named because he was held in the arms of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. On a day when the Lord was teaching His disciples humility, He took a child and placed him among them, saying: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:4). This child was Ignatius.
Later, Ignatius was a disciple of St. John the Theologian, together with Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. As Bishop of Antioch, Ignatius governed the Church of God as a good shepherd and was the first to introduce antiphonal chanting in the Church, in which two choirs alternate the chanting. This manner of chanting was revealed to St. Ignatius by the angels in heaven. When Emperor Trajan was passing through Antioch on his way to do battle with the Persians, he heard of Ignatius, summoned him and counseled him to offer sacrifice to the idols. If Ignatius would do so, Trajan would bestow upon him the rank of senator. As the counsels and threats of the emperor were in vain, St. Ignatius was shackled in irons and sent to Rome in the company of ten merciless soldiers, to be thrown to the wild beasts.
Ignatius rejoiced in suffering for his Lord, only praying to God that the wild beasts would become the tomb for his body and that no one would prevent him from this death. After a long and difficult journey from Asia through Thrace, Macedonia and Epirus, Ignatius arrived in Rome, where he was thrown to the lions in the circus. The lions tore him to pieces and devoured him, leaving only several of the larger bones and his heart. This glorious lover of the Lord Christ suffered in the year 106 in Rome at the time of the Christ-hating Emperor Trajan. Ignatius has appeared many times from the other world and worked miracles, even to this day helping all who call upon him for help.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Hieromartyr Babylas
St Babylas was commemorated this evening in vespers. The verses were intriguing, so I looked him up.
from OCA.org
The Hieromartyr Babylas and with him the three youths Urban, Prilidian, Epolonius and their mother Christodoula died as martyrs under the emperor Decius (249-251). During his stay in their city of Antioch, the emperor arranged for a large festival in honor of the pagan gods.
At the same time, Babylas, the holy and God-fearing Bishop of Antioch, was serving the Divine Liturgy in church. He prayed for his flock and taught them to endure all tribulations for Christ with courage. The idolater Decius, curious to witness the Divine Mysteries, decided to enter the church.
News of this reached the bishop, so he went out to meet Decius and blocked the path to the church, for he was unwilling to permit impiety in the temple of God. When the emperor approached the church doors, St Babylas refused to let him enter, so the emperor had to abandon his intention. He wanted to take revenge on the saint right away, but when he saw the large throng of Christians, he feared they might riot.
The next day the angry emperor ordered that the church be set on fire, and for Bishop Babylas to be brought before him. When asked why he had insulted the imperial dignity by not allowing the emperor to enter the church, the holy bishop answered, "Anyone who would rise up against God and want to desecrate His sanctuary, is not worthy of respect, but has become the enemy of the Lord."
Decius declared that the holy bishop must worship the idols in order to make up for his lack of respect for the emperor, or else face execution. After convincing himself that the martyr would remain steadfast in his faith, he commanded the military commander Victorinus to put him in heavy chains and lead him through the city in disgrace. The holy martyr replied, "Emperor, these chains are as venerable for me as your imperial crown is for you. For me, suffering for Christ is as desirable as the imperial power is for you. Death for the Immortal King is as precious to me as your life is to you."
At the trial with Bishop Babylas were three young brothers, who did not forsake him even in this most difficult moment. Seeing them, the emperor asked, "Who are these children? "
"These are my spiritual children," the saint replied, "and I have raised them in piety, I have given them an education, cultivated them with guidance, and here before you in a small body are these great young men and perfect Christians. Test them and see."
The emperor tried in all sorts of ways to entice the youths and their mother Christodoula to renounce Christ, but in vain. Then, in a rage, he ordered each of them to be whipped with a number of blows corresponding to their age. The first received twelve blows, the second, ten, and the third, seven. Dismissing the mother and children, the torturer again summoned the bishop, telling him that the children had renounced Christ. He did not believe the lie, however.
Then he commanded all the martyrs be tied to a tree and burned with fire. Seeing the stoic bravery of the saints, the emperor finally condemned them to be beheaded with the sword.
At the same time, Babylas, the holy and God-fearing Bishop of Antioch, was serving the Divine Liturgy in church. He prayed for his flock and taught them to endure all tribulations for Christ with courage. The idolater Decius, curious to witness the Divine Mysteries, decided to enter the church.
News of this reached the bishop, so he went out to meet Decius and blocked the path to the church, for he was unwilling to permit impiety in the temple of God. When the emperor approached the church doors, St Babylas refused to let him enter, so the emperor had to abandon his intention. He wanted to take revenge on the saint right away, but when he saw the large throng of Christians, he feared they might riot.
The next day the angry emperor ordered that the church be set on fire, and for Bishop Babylas to be brought before him. When asked why he had insulted the imperial dignity by not allowing the emperor to enter the church, the holy bishop answered, "Anyone who would rise up against God and want to desecrate His sanctuary, is not worthy of respect, but has become the enemy of the Lord."
Decius declared that the holy bishop must worship the idols in order to make up for his lack of respect for the emperor, or else face execution. After convincing himself that the martyr would remain steadfast in his faith, he commanded the military commander Victorinus to put him in heavy chains and lead him through the city in disgrace. The holy martyr replied, "Emperor, these chains are as venerable for me as your imperial crown is for you. For me, suffering for Christ is as desirable as the imperial power is for you. Death for the Immortal King is as precious to me as your life is to you."
At the trial with Bishop Babylas were three young brothers, who did not forsake him even in this most difficult moment. Seeing them, the emperor asked, "Who are these children? "
"These are my spiritual children," the saint replied, "and I have raised them in piety, I have given them an education, cultivated them with guidance, and here before you in a small body are these great young men and perfect Christians. Test them and see."
The emperor tried in all sorts of ways to entice the youths and their mother Christodoula to renounce Christ, but in vain. Then, in a rage, he ordered each of them to be whipped with a number of blows corresponding to their age. The first received twelve blows, the second, ten, and the third, seven. Dismissing the mother and children, the torturer again summoned the bishop, telling him that the children had renounced Christ. He did not believe the lie, however.
Then he commanded all the martyrs be tied to a tree and burned with fire. Seeing the stoic bravery of the saints, the emperor finally condemned them to be beheaded with the sword.
from OCA.org
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