The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič for Old Calendar date February 25, and New Calendar date March 10 (9).
1. SAINT TARASIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
His predecessor, Patriarch Paul secretly, relinquished the throne, entered a monastery and received the Schema [The Great Angelic Habit]. Irene and Constantine reigned at the time. By Paul's counsel, Tarasius, a senator and royal advisor, was chosen as patriarch in the year 783 A.D. He was quickly elevated through the ecclesiastical ranks and became patriarch. A man of great learning and great zeal in the Orthodox Faith, Tarasius accepted this rank reluctantly in order to assist Orthodoxy in the struggle against heresies, especially against Iconoclasm. During his tenure, the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 783 A.D.} was convened, where Iconoclasm was condemned and the veneration of holy icons was confirmed and restored. Tarasius was very charitable toward orphans and the poor, creating for them shelters and distributed food to them. Toward the powerful, Tarasius was decisive in his defense of faith and morals. When Emperor Constantine banished Maria, his lawful wife and took a kinswoman and lived with her, and sought a blessing for marriage from the patriarch, Tarasius not only refused him a blessing, but first counseled him, after that reproached him, and finally forbid him to receive Holy Communion. Before his death, many saw how Tarasius replied to the demons saying: "I am not guilty of this sin! I am not guilty either of that sin!" Until his weakened tongue could not longer speak, he then began to defend himself with his hands driving away the demons. When he expired, his face lightened up as the sun. This truly great hierarch died in the year 806 A.D. He governed the Church for twenty-two years and four months.
2. THE VENERABLE PAPHNUTIUS OF KEPHALA
This great saint was a contemporary of St. Anthony the Great. It is said about him that he wore the same cassock for eighty years. St. Anthony greatly respected him and used to say that Paphnutius was a true ascetic who was able to come and to save souls.
HYMN OF PRAISE
TO GOD THE CREATOR
The Creator radiant, with light crowned,
By no one described, by nothing expressed,
The wise builders of the Church, he raises,
Zealous defenders and good shepherds.
He permits sufferings, because of our sins
Even though in essence, He is Mercy and Goodness.
Just as the unmalleable earth, with bitter frost He prepares,
Makes it malleable and for crops makes ready
In the same way our hearts He mellows with bitter sufferings
But by His tender hand leads all to good.
Through the darkness of sin, He gazes into the light,
And the darkness, after a designated time, He does not permit it to linger
He discerns joy, through sorrow and tears,
To the ends of every beginning, He sees the ends
For He began all, He wants to complete all
Who will oppose Him, when He commands?
One would say He is weak, for He adroitly conceals,
And with a shadow of a deed, He conceals and blocks the view of Himself
When the shadow passes and the world reaches its end,
And the Church prepared to heaven is lifted,
Then the Sun of Righteousness which never extinguishes
With the Church, as with porphyry, to cover Himself.
REFLECTION
A Christian is similar to betrothed maiden. As a betrothed maiden continually thinks about her betrothed, so does the Christian continually think about Christ. Even if the betrothed is far away beyond ten hills, it is all the same, the maiden behaves as though he is constantly there; by her and with her. She thinks about him, sings to him, talks about him, dreams about him and prepares gifts for him. In the same way a Christian behaves toward Christ. As the betrothed maiden knows that she first must leave and distance herself from the home where she was born in order to meet and totally unite with her betrothed, so the Christian knows that even he cannot totally unite with Christ until death separates him from the body, i.e., from the material home in which his soul, resided and grew from birth.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus sitting in the boat, teaching the people on the shore: "On another occasion He began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around Him so that He got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land" (St. Mark 4:1).
1. How a great multitude of people crowded around to hear Him so that He had to enter the boat;
2. How, in parables He taught them about the sower, the seed and the ground i.e., those comparisons and examples, which from day in and day out, are repeated from the beginning of the world and will be repeated until the end of the world;
3. How He does not teach them with the aid of some rare and unusual events rather by the help of those simple events, which along with man entered into time and together with man, will exit time.
HOMILY
About the impossibility of secrets
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed" (St. Mark 4:22).
All secret works of man will be revealed one day. None of man's works can be hidden. The Jews thought they could hide the slaying of so many prophets from God and that their bloody, nefarious deed against Christ would be able to be hidden from God and man. However, that which they thought to hide became a daily and nightly tale both in the heavens and on earth for thousands of years. Judas thought to hide his traitorous agreement against his Lord, but the Lord discerned this agreement and declared it to his face. "Jesus said to him, 'Judas are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?' " (St. Luke 22:48).
The Lord also discerned the hearts of the Pharisees and read their evil thoughts. "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" (St. Matthew 9:4). What kind of works, what kind of things, what kind of events in this world can be hidden from Him Who sees and reveals even the most secret thoughts of the hearts of men? "For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed." Because of this we need to be fearful; because of this we need to be rejoiceful. To be fearful - for all of our secret evil deeds, evil desires and evil thoughts will be brought out in the open. To be rejoiceful - for all the good, which we have committed, or desired or thought in secret, will be brought out in the open. If it is not brought out before men in the open, it will be brought out before the heavenly angels. The greater the fear for sinners, so much greater the joy for the righteous.
O Lord, Lover of mankind, forgive us our sins and do not make them known to our destruction and to the sorrow of Your holy angels.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
1. SAINT TARASIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
His predecessor, Patriarch Paul secretly, relinquished the throne, entered a monastery and received the Schema [The Great Angelic Habit]. Irene and Constantine reigned at the time. By Paul's counsel, Tarasius, a senator and royal advisor, was chosen as patriarch in the year 783 A.D. He was quickly elevated through the ecclesiastical ranks and became patriarch. A man of great learning and great zeal in the Orthodox Faith, Tarasius accepted this rank reluctantly in order to assist Orthodoxy in the struggle against heresies, especially against Iconoclasm. During his tenure, the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 783 A.D.} was convened, where Iconoclasm was condemned and the veneration of holy icons was confirmed and restored. Tarasius was very charitable toward orphans and the poor, creating for them shelters and distributed food to them. Toward the powerful, Tarasius was decisive in his defense of faith and morals. When Emperor Constantine banished Maria, his lawful wife and took a kinswoman and lived with her, and sought a blessing for marriage from the patriarch, Tarasius not only refused him a blessing, but first counseled him, after that reproached him, and finally forbid him to receive Holy Communion. Before his death, many saw how Tarasius replied to the demons saying: "I am not guilty of this sin! I am not guilty either of that sin!" Until his weakened tongue could not longer speak, he then began to defend himself with his hands driving away the demons. When he expired, his face lightened up as the sun. This truly great hierarch died in the year 806 A.D. He governed the Church for twenty-two years and four months.
2. THE VENERABLE PAPHNUTIUS OF KEPHALA
This great saint was a contemporary of St. Anthony the Great. It is said about him that he wore the same cassock for eighty years. St. Anthony greatly respected him and used to say that Paphnutius was a true ascetic who was able to come and to save souls.
HYMN OF PRAISE
TO GOD THE CREATOR
The Creator radiant, with light crowned,
By no one described, by nothing expressed,
The wise builders of the Church, he raises,
Zealous defenders and good shepherds.
He permits sufferings, because of our sins
Even though in essence, He is Mercy and Goodness.
Just as the unmalleable earth, with bitter frost He prepares,
Makes it malleable and for crops makes ready
In the same way our hearts He mellows with bitter sufferings
But by His tender hand leads all to good.
Through the darkness of sin, He gazes into the light,
And the darkness, after a designated time, He does not permit it to linger
He discerns joy, through sorrow and tears,
To the ends of every beginning, He sees the ends
For He began all, He wants to complete all
Who will oppose Him, when He commands?
One would say He is weak, for He adroitly conceals,
And with a shadow of a deed, He conceals and blocks the view of Himself
When the shadow passes and the world reaches its end,
And the Church prepared to heaven is lifted,
Then the Sun of Righteousness which never extinguishes
With the Church, as with porphyry, to cover Himself.
REFLECTION
A Christian is similar to betrothed maiden. As a betrothed maiden continually thinks about her betrothed, so does the Christian continually think about Christ. Even if the betrothed is far away beyond ten hills, it is all the same, the maiden behaves as though he is constantly there; by her and with her. She thinks about him, sings to him, talks about him, dreams about him and prepares gifts for him. In the same way a Christian behaves toward Christ. As the betrothed maiden knows that she first must leave and distance herself from the home where she was born in order to meet and totally unite with her betrothed, so the Christian knows that even he cannot totally unite with Christ until death separates him from the body, i.e., from the material home in which his soul, resided and grew from birth.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus sitting in the boat, teaching the people on the shore: "On another occasion He began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around Him so that He got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land" (St. Mark 4:1).
1. How a great multitude of people crowded around to hear Him so that He had to enter the boat;
2. How, in parables He taught them about the sower, the seed and the ground i.e., those comparisons and examples, which from day in and day out, are repeated from the beginning of the world and will be repeated until the end of the world;
3. How He does not teach them with the aid of some rare and unusual events rather by the help of those simple events, which along with man entered into time and together with man, will exit time.
HOMILY
About the impossibility of secrets
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed" (St. Mark 4:22).
All secret works of man will be revealed one day. None of man's works can be hidden. The Jews thought they could hide the slaying of so many prophets from God and that their bloody, nefarious deed against Christ would be able to be hidden from God and man. However, that which they thought to hide became a daily and nightly tale both in the heavens and on earth for thousands of years. Judas thought to hide his traitorous agreement against his Lord, but the Lord discerned this agreement and declared it to his face. "Jesus said to him, 'Judas are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?' " (St. Luke 22:48).
The Lord also discerned the hearts of the Pharisees and read their evil thoughts. "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" (St. Matthew 9:4). What kind of works, what kind of things, what kind of events in this world can be hidden from Him Who sees and reveals even the most secret thoughts of the hearts of men? "For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed." Because of this we need to be fearful; because of this we need to be rejoiceful. To be fearful - for all of our secret evil deeds, evil desires and evil thoughts will be brought out in the open. To be rejoiceful - for all the good, which we have committed, or desired or thought in secret, will be brought out in the open. If it is not brought out before men in the open, it will be brought out before the heavenly angels. The greater the fear for sinners, so much greater the joy for the righteous.
O Lord, Lover of mankind, forgive us our sins and do not make them known to our destruction and to the sorrow of Your holy angels.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
+ + +
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
25. ФЕБРУАР (стари) или 10. (9.) МАРТ (нови календар)
1. Свети Тарасије, патријарх цариградски. Његов претходник, Павле патријарх, тајно напусти престо, оде у манастир и прими схиму. Владаху тада Ирина и Константин. По савету Павловом Тарасије, сенатор и саветник царски, би изабран за патријарха 783. године. Убрзо прође све чинове црквене и поста патријарх. Човек високог образовања и велике ревноста у вери православној, Тарасије се прими и невољно овога чина, да би помогао победи Православља над јересима, нарочито над иконоборством. Под њим би сазван VII Васељенски Сабор у Никеји 787. године, где се осуди иконоборство и поврати и утврди поштовање светих икона. Тарасије беше врло милостив према сиротним и бедним, ствараше им склоништа и даваше храну. Но према силним беше Тарасије одлучан у одбрани вере и морала. Када цар Константин отера своју закониту жену Марију, узе некакву своју сродницу те живљаше с њом, тражећи од патријарха благослов за венчање, Тарасије му не само не даде благослов него га најпре посаветова, потом изобличи, и најзад одлучи од причешћа. Пред смрт видели су га како се одговара демонима говорећи: нисам крив у томе греху! нисам крив ни у том греху! док му не изнеможе језик, те се он поче рукама бранити одгонећи их од себе. Када издахну лице му се засветли као сунчана светлост. Овај у истини велики јерарх упокојио се 806. године. Црквом је управљао 22 године и четири месеца.
2. Преподобни Пафиутије Кефалас. Овај светитељ био је савременик светог Антонија Великог. За њега се каже, да је 80 година носио једну исту расу. Свети Антоније високо га је ценио и свима је говорио, да је то истински подвижник, који уме лечити и спасавати душе.
Творац лучезарни, светлошћу крунисан,
Ничим неизречен, никим неописан,
Он подиже цркви мудре стројитеље,
И пастире добре, ревне бранитеље.
Због грехова наших и муке попушта,
Мада је Он милост и доброта сушта.
Ко што тврду земљу љутим мразом справља
И чинећ је меком за усев приправља,
Тако срца наша мекша љутом муком
Но све к добру води Својом благом руком.
Кроз тамнину муке Он у светлост гледа,
И тми после рока задржат се не да;
Кроз жалост и сузе Он радост прозире,
У крајеве сваког почетка продире.
Јер Он је све поч’о, Он и свршит’ жели
Ко ће противстати када Он повели?
Нејак је, рекжо би, јер се вешто склања,
И сенком се дела скрива и заклања.
Када сенка прође и свет крају стигне,
И црква готова небу се уздигне,
Тад ће Сунце Правде, што никад не трне,
Црквом каж порфиром Себе да огрне.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Хришћанин је сличан испрошеној девојци. Као што испрошена девојка непрестано мисли о обручнику своме тако и хришћанин о Христу. И ако је обручник далеко преко десет брда, свеједно, девојка се понаша као да је он непрестано ту, код ње и с њом. Она мисли на њега, пева њему, говори о њему, сања о њему, спрема дарове за њега. Исто се тако понаша и хришћанин према Христу. И као што обручница зна, да прво мора да изађе и удаљи се из куће где се родила, да би се састала и потпуно сјединила с обручником својим, тако и хришћанин зна, да се и он не може потпуно сјединити с Христом док га смрт не разлучи од тела, тојест од материјалног дома, у коме је његова душа од рођења обитавала и расла.
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам Господа Исуса како седећи у лађи учи народ на обали (По Марку 4, 1), и то:
1. како се велико мноштво народа тискаше да Га чује, тако да мораде ући у лађу;
2. како их учаше причама о сејачу, семену и земљи, тојест оним сравњењима и примерима који се из дана у дан понављају од почетка света и понављаће се до свршетка;
3. како их не учи помоћу неких ретких и чудноватих догађаја него помоћу оних обичних, који су заједно с човеком ушли у време и заједно с човеком изаћи ће из времена.
БЕСЕДА
о немогућности тајне
Нема ништа тајно што неће бити јавно (По Марку 4, 22)
Све тајне радње људске биће јавне једнога дана. И никакво се дело људско не може укрити. Јевреји су мислили, да ће сакрити од Бога убиство толиких пророка, и да ће крвави злочин над Христом моћи сакрити и од Бога и од људи. Међутим то што су они мислили сакрити постало је даноноћном причом и на небу и на земљи ево кроз хиљаде година.
Јуда је мислио сакрити свој издајнички договор против свога Господа, но Господ је провидео тај договор и објавио га Јуди у лице. А Исус му рече: Јуда, зар цјеливом издајеш сина човечјега (По Луки 22, 48)?
Још је Господ прозирао у срца фарисеја и погађао њихове зле помисли. Зашто зло помишљате у срцима својијем (По Матеју 9, 4)? Каква дела, какве ствари, какви догађаји у овоме свету да се сакрију од Онога који види и објављује чак и најтајније помисли срца људског?
Нема ништа тајно што неће бити јавно. Да страхујемо због овога, и да се радујемо због овога. Да страхујемо — јер ће се сва наша тајна зла дела, зле жеље и зле помисли изнети на јавност. Да се радујемо — јер ће се све добро што смо створили, или пожелели, или помислили у тајности, изнети на јавност. Не изнесе ли се све пред људе на јавност, изнеће се пред ангеле небеске. У толико већи страх за грешнике, и у толико већа радост за праведнике.
Господе човекољубни, опрости нам грехе наше и не објављуј их на пропаст нашу и на тугу светих ангела Твојих. Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амин.
Свети Николај ВелимировићSaint Nikolai Velimirovič
