#orthodox saint

[ripstefano]

On the cover: During the Battle of the Frozen Lake in 1242, Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, kills a knight from the Teutonic Order.

[eptesicusfuscusesque]

something from my mind

[sidebee-horizons]

Last communion of Saint Mary of Egypt

[discoveringorthodoxy]

“When conversion does take place the process of revelation occurs in a very simple way: a person is in need, he suffers, and then somehow the other world opens up. The more you are in suffering and difficulties and are desperate for God, the more He is going to come to your aid, reveal Who He is, and show you the way to get out.”

-Fr. Seraphim Rose-

[graysoniconography]

Saint Hippolytus of Rome

The hieromartyr Hippolytus of Rome was a priest and an ecclesiastical writer of the third century. He is considered to have been antipope of the Church of Rome from about 217 to 235. He was among the most important Christian theologians of the third century, and a saint. His feast day is January 30.

T

Life

The early life of Hippolytus is unknown. He was born about the year 170 and lived in Rome when young. Greek was his native tongue. He is believed to have been a disciple of Irenaeus of Lyons and to have met Origen. From the details of his work, Philosophoumena Hippolytus apparently was in Rome during the time Victor was the bishop of Rome. At the beginning of the third century he was a priest noted for his learning, eloquence, zeal, and moral earnestness. He was also noted to be a bishop of an unspecified city by Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome and by the poet Prudentius as bishop of Portus, a port for Rome.

The Philosophoumena, that is a part of his larger work "Refutation of All Heresies", shows that he dissented from the compassionate views of Bps. Zephyrinus, whom he considered to be a weak man "unskilled the church's rule", and ‎Callistus I of Rome concerning the reception of backsliders and heretics who had repented. In the "Refutation of All Heresies" Hippolytus set out to refute the doctrines of the Gnostics and condemn heretics by showing that their views were taken from pagan philosophy and oriental theosophy.

Hippolytus also came into conflict with the opinions of the bishops of Rome on christological issues of the day to such an extant that came to allow himself to be elected a rival bishop of Rome, the first antipope

Under the persecutions of emperor Maximinus Thrax Hippolytus was exiled to Sardinia in 235 where he died, reportedly a martyr. His body was returned to Rome and interred in a cemetery on the Via Tiburtina. By about 255, he was considered a martyred priest by the Church, indicating that he had been reconciled with the Church and not considered a schismatic.

Taken from Orthodox Wiki

[vath-and-such-vinluv-s-stuff]

Saint Peter: Cephas

[miriamgrace25]

O Glorious Nicholas, the holy preacher of Christ, thou art the great and fervent protector of those in danger, those on land and sea, far off or near; for thou art a most compassionate and mighty intercessor. Therefore, as we assemble, we cry aloud: Pray to the Lord that we may be delivered from all danger!

Rejoice, most sacred mind, pure dwelling of the Trinity, pillar of the Church and support of the faithful, help of the fallen, star ever dispersing temptations and afflictions through the radiance of thy prayers, well-pleasing to God! Thou art a calm haven, O Bishop Nicholas, where those who flee are saved from the threatening wave of life. Pray that Christ may grant our souls great mercy!

[cycnsw]

Hard & Holy Women

It is currently Women’s History Month, so we at the CYC will be trying to highlight the contributions of the Orthodox Church mothers and female saints. We want to share their stories, words and wisdom. By focusing on the hard and holy things these Christians have done, we may amplify their wisdom and examples. 

Often the voices of our female saints are drowned out in recounts of Church history, so we will especially be trying to share their spiritual writings. 

We’re starting off with the Central Youth Committee’s patron saint, who happens to be a very young woman who lived in a time of great persecution: 

Saint Marina the Great Martyr and Vanquisher of Demons 

Saint Marina martyred at the age of fifteen in 304 A.D. She lived at the time of the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s great persecution against Christians. Her mother died when she was young, and she learned about Christianity through her nanny. However, her father was a pagan priest and he disowned her when she converted to Christianity at the age of thirteen. 

Marina fled to live in the mountains outside of Antioch (in Syria), with a Christian shepherdess whose flock she helped tend. She decided to never marry and instead dedicate her life to Christ. 

This nondescript life was thrown into turmoil when the Roman Governor Olybrius was so enamoured by her beauty that he wanted to take her as his wife. He also insisted that she give up her faith in Christianity, and Marina refused. As a result, she endured torture and prison and even the menace of a demon, which she beat away with a hammer while she was in prison. Marina was able to conqueror everything the governor threw at her through God’s sustaining Grace.

Finally, hoping to making an example of her, Olybrius decided to publicly boil her in a cauldron of water.

She is said to have proclaimed: “Lord, You have granted me to go through fire for Your Name, grant me also to go through the water of holy Baptism.”

She was thrown into the cauldron to drown, and still, she survived! She came out of the boiling water unscathed, and a holy light appeared from the skies, and a single dove descended upon her. The event that was supposed to kill Marina was instead the moment of her baptism, through her great faith and boldness. 

Even better, all those who witnessed this miracle converted to Christianity, so sure they were that Christ was the true road to salvation. Furious by this turn of events, Olybrius ordered that Saint Marina and all those who confessed to be Christians that day should be beheaded. Marina was beheaded first and many others followed. The great drama of her martyrdom is said to have caused as many as 15,000 others to convert to Christianity a great number of which were beheaded alongside her; as was described by the an eyewitness named Theotimos.

St Marina’s youth inspires the young Orthodox men and women on the Central Youth Committee, because she proves that no matter how young a Christian is, they can still be a channel for God’s Saving Grace. Her story recalls the words of St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12).

We hope that Saint Marina’s hard & holy life can inspire us as followers of Christ.

St Marina, virgin, martyr, and demon-slayer, pray for us!

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