The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič for Old Calendar date February 16, and New Calendar date March 1 (February 29 on leap years).
1. THE TWELVE HOLY MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED DURING THE REIGN OF EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN
Pamphilus, the first of the martyrs, was a presbyter of the church at Caesarea in Palestine. He was a learned and devout man who corrected the text of the New Testament from the errors of the various copiers. He alone, recopied this salvific book and gave it to those who desired it. The second was the Deacon Valentine, old in years and grey in wisdom. He was an excellent authority of Holy Scripture and knew them completely by heart. The third was Paul, an honorable and distinguished man who, during a previous persecution, was cast into the fire for Christ. Besides them, there were five brothers, according to the flesh and spirit, who were born in Egypt and were returning to their homeland after being forced to work in the mines of Cilicia. At the gates of Caesarea they declared that they were Christians for which they were brought to court. To the question: "What are your names?" They responded: "The pagan names which our mother gave to us, we discarded and we call ourselves: Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel." To the question: "Where are you from?" They responded: "From Jerusalem on High." All of them were beheaded and with them a young man Porphyrius who sought the bodies of the martyrs in order to bury them. Porphyrius they burned alive as well as Seleucus, formerly an officer who had approached and kissed the martyrs before the sword fell on their heads. Also the aged Theodulus, a servant of a Roman judge, who, during the funeral kissed one of the martyrs. Finally Julian, who reverenced and praised the lifeless bodies of the martyrs. And so they gave little for much, the inexpensive for the precious and mortality for immortality and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 308 A.D.
2. SAINT MARUTHAS
Maruthas was Bishop of Tagrith in Mesopotamia. He was known for his faith and goodness. Maruthas mitigated the anger of the Persian Emperor Yezdegeherd toward Christians, begged from him the relics of the four-hundred martyrs in Persia and founded a town called Martyropolis, where he reposed these holy relics. He ended his earthly course and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 422 A.D.
3. THE HOLY VENERABLE MARTYR ROMAN
Roman was a simple and illiterate peasant from Carpenesion. Learning of the heroism and glory of the martyrs of Christ, the young Roman desired martyrdom for himself. He went to Thessalonica were he began to praise the Faith of Christ on the streets and referred Islam as a fable. The Turks tortured him horribly and then sold him to a galley captain. Christians ransomed him from the captain and sent him to the Holy Mountain [Athos] where he was tonsured a monk by the illustrious Elder Acacius. But Roman further desired martyrdom for Christ. With the blessing of the Elder Acacius, Roman traveled to Constantinople pretending insanity and began to lead a dog along the Turkish streets. To the question: "What are you doing?" Roman responded that he is feeding the dog as Christians feed the Turks. The Turks threw him into a dry well, where he remained without bread for forty days. They then removed him from the well and beheaded him. A light emanated from his body for three days. An Englishman removed his body and took it to England. A certain monk dipped a towel in the blood of the martyr. This towel is preserved, even today, in the Dochiariu Monastery [Mt. Athos]. This glorious soldier of Christ suffered in the year 1694 A.D.
HYMN OF PRAISE
TO THE HOLY MARTYRS
Martyrs of Christ, flowers bountiful,
Which will never and forever not fade away.
Martyrs of Christ, an evergreen living in the winter,
You who stretched toward heaven stained with blood,
Martyrs of Christ, aromas of incense,
And the votive light of oil, illumined by God.
You ran the race for the beauty of Christ
In Paradise, met with Christ forever.
The world will be and then cease to be and you will always be
With the Lord in Paradise, to rejoice eternally.
REFLECTION
The most important thing in a meadow is grass. In a field, it is wheat. In a garden, it is vegetables. No one boasts about the enclosure of the meadow more than they do the hay in the meadow. Nor does anyone boast more about the shed in the field than they do the wheat in the field. Neither does anyone boast of the ditches more than they do the vegetables in the garden. Why do people boast about their countries; the roads throughout the country; the demarcations and boundaries of a country and cities throughout the country and everything else that is not more important from the enclosures of the meadows, neither the shed in the field, neither the ditches in the garden when it is compared to the main crop, i.e., with man? Men do not exist for the sake of the country but the country exists for the sake of men. Christ did not come to save countries, but men. A country receives its value from good citizens. And what do evil people receive from a great country? Thorns in a spacious field.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus how in the dark nights, alone in the mountains, He prays for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men:
1. How He lifts His hands up toward heaven; how He bends to the ground; how He kneels in prayer many nights; in prayer for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men;
2. How He sweats at prayer and weeps for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men;
3. How He kept watch and kept vigil in prayer and torments His body without sleep and rest for my salvation, for your salvation and for the salvation of all men.
HOMILY
About that awesome stone
"Everyone who falls on that stone will be [dashed] smashed to pieces" (St. Luke 20:18).
The Lord Christ is the corner stone. Judas fell on that stone and was smashed. Herod fell on that stone and he was smashed. Julian the Apostate fell on that stone and he was smashed. Arius fell on that stone and he was smashed. The deniers and scoffers of Christ fell on that stone and were smashed as clay pots of a potter.
This stone fell on Sodom and Gomorrah and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. This stone fell on Egypt and Egypt was destroyed. This stone fell on Jerusalem and Jerusalem was destroyed. This stone fell on the Jewish people and the Jewish people were scattered into pieces. This stone fell on many sinful generations and empires and those sinful generations and empires fell apart into dust and ashes.
The Lord forgave sinners seventy times seven but beyond that if sinners remain sinners, will the Lord save them against their will? He will not, for that is not the principle for the salvation of men. The principle of salvation is that men voluntarily consent to salvation on the part of God. If men seventy times seven and more do not desire to be saved by God, then God will not save them. Then men will be smashed against that stone around which they cannot pass and are destroyed by that stone, which they have raised to cast far away from themselves. Can it be said that God is unmerciful Who saved the penitent thief on the cross? Can it be said that He is unjust when He handed over the thief to destruction who mocked Him even in the last hour of death?
O Lord Almighty, save us!
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
1. THE TWELVE HOLY MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED DURING THE REIGN OF EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN
Pamphilus, the first of the martyrs, was a presbyter of the church at Caesarea in Palestine. He was a learned and devout man who corrected the text of the New Testament from the errors of the various copiers. He alone, recopied this salvific book and gave it to those who desired it. The second was the Deacon Valentine, old in years and grey in wisdom. He was an excellent authority of Holy Scripture and knew them completely by heart. The third was Paul, an honorable and distinguished man who, during a previous persecution, was cast into the fire for Christ. Besides them, there were five brothers, according to the flesh and spirit, who were born in Egypt and were returning to their homeland after being forced to work in the mines of Cilicia. At the gates of Caesarea they declared that they were Christians for which they were brought to court. To the question: "What are your names?" They responded: "The pagan names which our mother gave to us, we discarded and we call ourselves: Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel." To the question: "Where are you from?" They responded: "From Jerusalem on High." All of them were beheaded and with them a young man Porphyrius who sought the bodies of the martyrs in order to bury them. Porphyrius they burned alive as well as Seleucus, formerly an officer who had approached and kissed the martyrs before the sword fell on their heads. Also the aged Theodulus, a servant of a Roman judge, who, during the funeral kissed one of the martyrs. Finally Julian, who reverenced and praised the lifeless bodies of the martyrs. And so they gave little for much, the inexpensive for the precious and mortality for immortality and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 308 A.D.
2. SAINT MARUTHAS
Maruthas was Bishop of Tagrith in Mesopotamia. He was known for his faith and goodness. Maruthas mitigated the anger of the Persian Emperor Yezdegeherd toward Christians, begged from him the relics of the four-hundred martyrs in Persia and founded a town called Martyropolis, where he reposed these holy relics. He ended his earthly course and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 422 A.D.
3. THE HOLY VENERABLE MARTYR ROMAN
Roman was a simple and illiterate peasant from Carpenesion. Learning of the heroism and glory of the martyrs of Christ, the young Roman desired martyrdom for himself. He went to Thessalonica were he began to praise the Faith of Christ on the streets and referred Islam as a fable. The Turks tortured him horribly and then sold him to a galley captain. Christians ransomed him from the captain and sent him to the Holy Mountain [Athos] where he was tonsured a monk by the illustrious Elder Acacius. But Roman further desired martyrdom for Christ. With the blessing of the Elder Acacius, Roman traveled to Constantinople pretending insanity and began to lead a dog along the Turkish streets. To the question: "What are you doing?" Roman responded that he is feeding the dog as Christians feed the Turks. The Turks threw him into a dry well, where he remained without bread for forty days. They then removed him from the well and beheaded him. A light emanated from his body for three days. An Englishman removed his body and took it to England. A certain monk dipped a towel in the blood of the martyr. This towel is preserved, even today, in the Dochiariu Monastery [Mt. Athos]. This glorious soldier of Christ suffered in the year 1694 A.D.
HYMN OF PRAISE
TO THE HOLY MARTYRS
Martyrs of Christ, flowers bountiful,
Which will never and forever not fade away.
Martyrs of Christ, an evergreen living in the winter,
You who stretched toward heaven stained with blood,
Martyrs of Christ, aromas of incense,
And the votive light of oil, illumined by God.
You ran the race for the beauty of Christ
In Paradise, met with Christ forever.
The world will be and then cease to be and you will always be
With the Lord in Paradise, to rejoice eternally.
REFLECTION
The most important thing in a meadow is grass. In a field, it is wheat. In a garden, it is vegetables. No one boasts about the enclosure of the meadow more than they do the hay in the meadow. Nor does anyone boast more about the shed in the field than they do the wheat in the field. Neither does anyone boast of the ditches more than they do the vegetables in the garden. Why do people boast about their countries; the roads throughout the country; the demarcations and boundaries of a country and cities throughout the country and everything else that is not more important from the enclosures of the meadows, neither the shed in the field, neither the ditches in the garden when it is compared to the main crop, i.e., with man? Men do not exist for the sake of the country but the country exists for the sake of men. Christ did not come to save countries, but men. A country receives its value from good citizens. And what do evil people receive from a great country? Thorns in a spacious field.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus how in the dark nights, alone in the mountains, He prays for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men:
1. How He lifts His hands up toward heaven; how He bends to the ground; how He kneels in prayer many nights; in prayer for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men;
2. How He sweats at prayer and weeps for my salvation, your salvation and for the salvation of all men;
3. How He kept watch and kept vigil in prayer and torments His body without sleep and rest for my salvation, for your salvation and for the salvation of all men.
HOMILY
About that awesome stone
"Everyone who falls on that stone will be [dashed] smashed to pieces" (St. Luke 20:18).
The Lord Christ is the corner stone. Judas fell on that stone and was smashed. Herod fell on that stone and he was smashed. Julian the Apostate fell on that stone and he was smashed. Arius fell on that stone and he was smashed. The deniers and scoffers of Christ fell on that stone and were smashed as clay pots of a potter.
This stone fell on Sodom and Gomorrah and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. This stone fell on Egypt and Egypt was destroyed. This stone fell on Jerusalem and Jerusalem was destroyed. This stone fell on the Jewish people and the Jewish people were scattered into pieces. This stone fell on many sinful generations and empires and those sinful generations and empires fell apart into dust and ashes.
The Lord forgave sinners seventy times seven but beyond that if sinners remain sinners, will the Lord save them against their will? He will not, for that is not the principle for the salvation of men. The principle of salvation is that men voluntarily consent to salvation on the part of God. If men seventy times seven and more do not desire to be saved by God, then God will not save them. Then men will be smashed against that stone around which they cannot pass and are destroyed by that stone, which they have raised to cast far away from themselves. Can it be said that God is unmerciful Who saved the penitent thief on the cross? Can it be said that He is unjust when He handed over the thief to destruction who mocked Him even in the last hour of death?
O Lord Almighty, save us!
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
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Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
16. ФЕБРУАР (стари) или 1.МАРТ- 29.ФЕБРУАР (нови календар)
1. Светих дванаест мученика, што пострадаше у време цара Диоклецијана. Први из њих, Памфил, презвитер цркве у Кесарији Палестинској, човек учен и благочестив, исправи текст Новог Завета од грешака разних преписивача; сам преписиваше ову спасоносну књигу и даваше онима који то жељаху. Други би ђакон Валент, стар годинама и сед мудрошћу. Он би одличан познавалац Светог Писма, и знађаше ово готово на изуст. Трећи би Павле, муж честан и угледа, који једном пре тога би бацан у огањ за Христа. Уз то још пет брата, по телу и духу, родом из Мисира, враћаху се са осуде из рудника Киликијских у своју отаджбину, но на капији града Кесарије рекоше да су хришћани, због чега дођоше пред суд. На питање, како им је име, рекоше: „Незнабожачка имена која нам је мајка дала одбацили смо и назвали смо се Илија, Исаија, Јеремија, Самуил и Данило.” На питање, одакле су, рекоше: „Из Горњег Јерусалима.” Сви ови бише посечени, а с њима пострада и младић Порфирије, који потражи тела њихова да сахрани. Овај у огњу изгори. Још и Селевкије, који приђе и пољуби мученике пре него мач паде на главу њихову. Селевкије пре тога би официр. Још и старац Теодул, слуга римског судије, који при спроводу пољуби једнога мученика. Најзад и Јулијан, који мртва тела мученичка целиваше и хваљаше их. И тако дадоше мало за велико, и јевтино за драгоцено, и смртно за бесмртно, и преселише се ка Господу, 308. године.
2. Свети Марут, епископ града Тагрита у Месопотамији. Славан због вере и доброте. Марут ублажи гнев персијског цара Издегерда према хришћанима, испроси од њега мошти 400 мученика у Персији, и основа нарочити град, Мартиропољ, где положи те свете мошти. У томе граду и он сконча свој земаљски пут 422. године, и пресели се ка Господу.
3. Свети преподобни мученик Роман. Прост и неписмен сељак из Карпениса. Сазнавши о јунаштву и слави мученика Христових млади Роман пожели и сам мучеништва. Оде у Солун, где почне на улици хвалити веру Христову а Мухамеда називати баснословцем. Турци га страшно намуче, па га продаду неком капетану галије. Хришћани га откупе од капетана и пошаљу у Свету Гору, где Роман постане монах код чувеног старца Акакија. Но он је и даље желео мучеништва за Христа. С благословом старца оде у Цариград, направи се сулуд и почне водити псето кроз улице турске. На питање, шта то ради, Роман одговори, да он храни то псето као што хришћани хране Турке. Турци га баце у сув бунар, где је без хлеба провео 40 дана. По том га изваде и посеку. Из његовог тела три дана избијала светлост. Неки Енглез узме тело и однесе у Енглеску. А монах неки умочи пешкир у крв мученика. Тај пешкир се и данас чува у манастиру Дохијару. Пострада овај славни Христов војник 1694. године.
Мученици Христови, благородно цвеће,
Што никад и за никад увенути не ће.
Мученици Христови, живи зимзелени,
Што се к небу пружасте, крвљу обојени.
Мученици Христови, мириси тамјана,
И кандила јелејна, Богом обасјана.
За красотом Христовом трком потекосте,
У Рају се са Христом навек састадосте.
Свет ће бит’ и не бити, а ви ћете бити,
У Рају се с Господом вечно веселити.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
У ливади најважнија је трава. У њиви жито. У градини зелен, Нико се не хвали оградом ливаде више него сеном. Нити се ко хвали колибом на њиви више него житом. Нити се ко хвали јендецима у градини више него поврћем. Што се људи хвале државама? И друмовима у држави? И јендецима по ивицама државе? И градовима по држави? И свим осталим, што није важније од ограде у ливади, нити од колибе у њиви, нити од јендека у градини, кад се сравни са главним усевом, са људима? Нису људи ради државе, но држава ради људи. Христос није дошао да спасава државе него људе. Од добрих грађана држава добија цену. А шта добијају зли људи од велике државе? Трње у пространој њиви!
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам Господа Исуса како се по тамним ноћима сам у горама моли за спасење моје и твоје и свих људи, и то:
1. како уздиже руке к небу, како се савија до земље и како клечи на молитви многе ноћи, на молитви за спасење моје и твоје и свих људи;
2. како се зноји на молитви и плаче за спасење моје и твоје и свих људи;
3. како бди и бодрствује на молитви, и мучи Своје тело без сна и одмора за спасење моје и твоје и свих људи.
БЕСЕДА
о страшном камену
Сваки који падне на тај камен разбиће се; а на кога он падне сатрће га (По Луки 20, 18)
Камен темељац је Христос Господ. Јуда је пао на тај камен, и разбио се. Ирод је пао на тај камен, и разбио се. Јулијан Одступник пао је на тај камен, и разбио се. Ариј је пао на тај камен, и разбио се. Одрицатељи и ругатељи Христа падају на тај камен, и разбијају се као грнчарски судови.
На Содом и Гомор пао је тај камен, и Содом и Гомор сатрли су се. На Мисир пао је тај камен, и Мисир се сатро. На Јерусалим је пао тај камен, и Јерусалим се сатро. На народ јеврејски пао је тај камен, и народ јеврејски се у комаде распрштао. На многа грешна колена и царства пао је тај камен, и та грешна колена и царства распала су се у прах и пепео.
Седамдесет и седам пута, и више, Господ опрашта грешницима, но ако и преко тога грешници остану грешници, хоће ли их Господ насупрот њихове воље спасавати? Не ће; јер то није начело спасавања људи. Начело је, да људи драговољно пристану на спасавање од стране Бога. Ако људи седамдесет и седам пута, и више, не ће да пожеле спасење од Бога, онда и Бог не ће. Онда се људи разбијају о камен, мимо кога се не може проћи, и сатиру се каменом, кога су издигли да баце далеко од себе. Зар се може рећи да је немилостив Бог, који је покајаног разбојника на крсту спасао? Зар се може рећи да је неправедан, кад је предао пропасти разбојника, који му се и на самртном часу ругао?
Господе свесилни спаси нас! Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амин.
Свети Николај ВелимировићSaint Nikolai Velimirovič
