From Mystagogy:
St. Alexios the Man of God (Feast Day - March 17)
St Alexios was born at Rome into the family of the pious and poverty-loving Euphemianus and Aglais. The couple was childless for a long time and constantly prayed the Lord to grant them a child. And the Lord consoled the couple with the birth of their son Alexios.
At six years of age the child began to read and successfully studied the mundane sciences, but it was with particular diligence that he read Holy Scripture. When he was a young man, he began to imitate his parents: he fasted strictly, distributed alms and beneath his fine clothing he secretly wore a hair shirt. Early on there burned within him the desire to leave the world and serve God. His parents, however, had arranged for Alexios to marry a beautiful and virtuous bride.
On his wedding night, Alexios gave her his ring and his belt (which were very valuable) and said, "Keep these things, Beloved, and may the Lord be with us until His grace provides us with something better." Secretly leaving his home, he boarded a ship sailing for Mesopotamia.
Arriving in the city of Edessa, where the Icon of the Lord "Not-made-by-Hands" (August 16) was preserved, Alexios sold everything that he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Theotokos under a portico. The saint used a portion of the alms he received to buy bread and water, and he distributed the rest to the aged and infirm. Each Sunday he received the Holy Mysteries.
The parents sought the missing Alexios everywhere, but without success. The servants sent by Euphemianus also arrived in Edessa, but they did not recognize the beggar sitting at the portico as their master. His body was withered by fasting, his comeliness vanished, his stature diminished. The saint recognized them and gave thanks to the Lord that he received alms from his own servants.
The inconsolable mother of St Alexios confined herself in her room, incessantly praying for her son. His wife also grieved with her in-laws.
St Alexios dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. Once, the Mother of God spoke to the sacristan of the church where the saint lived: "Lead into My church that Man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. His prayer rises up to God like fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit rests upon him." The sacristan began to search for such a man, but was not able to find him for a long time. Then he prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, beseeching Her to clear up his confusion. Again a voice from the icon proclaimed that the Man of God was the beggar who sat in the church portico.
The sacristan found St Alexios and brought him into the church. Many recognized him and began to praise him. The saint secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St Paul in Tarsus. But God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the West and it reached the coast of Italy. The saint journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father's permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexios in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table.
Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The cell of Alexios was opposite his wife's windows, and the ascetic suffered grievously when he heard her weeping. Only his immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. St Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them.
On the day of St Alexios' death in 411, Archbishop Innocent (402-417) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius (395-423). During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: "Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror.
The Voice continued: "On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled." They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God.
After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: "Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus." All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper, and they were unable to take it. They placed the saint's body on a cot, covered with costly coverings. The Pope and the Emperor bent their knees and turned to the saint, as to one yet alive, asking him to open his hand. And the saint heard their prayer. When the letter was read, the righteous one's wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics.
The body of the saint was placed in the center of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick.
The venerable relics of St Alexios, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. The relics were uncovered in the year 1216.
The Life of St Alexios, the Man of God, was always very popular in Russia.
Source
The Skull of Saint Alexios the Man of God
The honourable head of St. Alexios was given as a gift to the Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavrita by Roman Emperor Manuel Paleologos in 1398. Till this day St. Alexios is the patron saint of Kalavrita, Greece where his skull still resides for veneration. A great feast takes place on the feast of St. Alexios with numerous pilgrims attending the all-night vigil. In the morning of the feast a procession takes place with the skull where it is brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Kalavrita where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
With the blessing of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the reliquary left Greece in 2005, for the first time since given to the Agia Lavra Monastery, and travelled to Moscow and placed at the Novospasskiy Monastery for public veneration.
St. Alexios is also highly honored in Patras where a metochion of Agia Lavra named after the Saint celebrates, among other parishes in Greece named after the Saint.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Though thou didst bud forth from a renowned and notable root, and though thou didst blossom from a city famed for her great imperial dignity, yet didst thou scorn all things as corruptible and fleeting, striving to be joined to Christ thy Master for ever. Entreat Him, O Alexios most wise, fervently for our souls.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As we celebrate today with fitting rev'rence the all-holy festival of Saint Alexios the all-blest, with hymns we praise him and cry aloud: Rejoice, thou gladsome adornment of righteous men.
Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:52 PM (11 hours ago)“I really don’t care what the law allows you to do…”from Overlawyered by Walter Olson“…It’s a more practical issue. Do you want to send your attorney a check every month indefinitely as I continue to pursue this?” [Paul Alan Levy, CL&P, on a business's threats against the "Insurance Forums" website]
Tags: bullying businesses, libel slander and defamation, online speech
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Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:50 PM (11 hours ago)Japan Quake Epicenter Was in Unexpected Locationfrom Wired Top Stories by Devin Powell
1 person liked thisJapan has been expecting and preparing for the "big one" for more than 30 years. But the magnitude-9.0 temblor that struck March 11 -- the world's fourth biggest quake since 1900 -- wasn't the catastrophe the island nation had in mind. The epicenter of the quake was about 80 miles east of the city Sendai, in a strip of ocean crust previously thought unlikely to be capable of unleashing such energy.Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:50 PM (11 hours ago)http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/03/workplace-weapons/from Wired Top Stories by Christina Bonnington
2 people liked thisHere at Wired, we take things very seriously. Correction -- we take protecting our desks and planning sneak attacks on our coworkers very seriously. We put some different office warfare gadgets to the test.
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St Alexios dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. Once, the Mother of God spoke to the sacristan of the church where the saint lived: "Lead into My church that Man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. His prayer rises up to God like fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit rests upon him." The sacristan began to search for such a man, but was not able to find him for a long time. Then he prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, beseeching Her to clear up his confusion. Again a voice from the icon proclaimed that the Man of God was the beggar who sat in the church portico.
The sacristan found St Alexios and brought him into the church. Many recognized him and began to praise him. The saint secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St Paul in Tarsus. But God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the West and it reached the coast of Italy. The saint journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father's permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexios in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table.
Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The cell of Alexios was opposite his wife's windows, and the ascetic suffered grievously when he heard her weeping. Only his immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. St Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them.
On the day of St Alexios' death in 411, Archbishop Innocent (402-417) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius (395-423). During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: "Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror.
The Voice continued: "On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled." They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God.
After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: "Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus." All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper, and they were unable to take it. They placed the saint's body on a cot, covered with costly coverings. The Pope and the Emperor bent their knees and turned to the saint, as to one yet alive, asking him to open his hand. And the saint heard their prayer. When the letter was read, the righteous one's wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics.
The body of the saint was placed in the center of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick.
The venerable relics of St Alexios, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. The relics were uncovered in the year 1216.
The Life of St Alexios, the Man of God, was always very popular in Russia.
The Skull of Saint Alexios the Man of God
The honourable head of St. Alexios was given as a gift to the Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavrita by Roman Emperor Manuel Paleologos in 1398. Till this day St. Alexios is the patron saint of Kalavrita, Greece where his skull still resides for veneration. A great feast takes place on the feast of St. Alexios with numerous pilgrims attending the all-night vigil. In the morning of the feast a procession takes place with the skull where it is brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Kalavrita where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
With the blessing of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the reliquary left Greece in 2005, for the first time since given to the Agia Lavra Monastery, and travelled to Moscow and placed at the Novospasskiy Monastery for public veneration.
St. Alexios is also highly honored in Patras where a metochion of Agia Lavra named after the Saint celebrates, among other parishes in Greece named after the Saint.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Though thou didst bud forth from a renowned and notable root, and though thou didst blossom from a city famed for her great imperial dignity, yet didst thou scorn all things as corruptible and fleeting, striving to be joined to Christ thy Master for ever. Entreat Him, O Alexios most wise, fervently for our souls.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As we celebrate today with fitting rev'rence the all-holy festival of Saint Alexios the all-blest, with hymns we praise him and cry aloud: Rejoice, thou gladsome adornment of righteous men.
St. Alexios the Man of God (Feast Day - March 17)
St Alexios was born at Rome into the family of the pious and poverty-loving Euphemianus and Aglais. The couple was childless for a long time and constantly prayed the Lord to grant them a child. And the Lord consoled the couple with the birth of their son Alexios.
At six years of age the child began to read and successfully studied the mundane sciences, but it was with particular diligence that he read Holy Scripture. When he was a young man, he began to imitate his parents: he fasted strictly, distributed alms and beneath his fine clothing he secretly wore a hair shirt. Early on there burned within him the desire to leave the world and serve God. His parents, however, had arranged for Alexios to marry a beautiful and virtuous bride.
On his wedding night, Alexios gave her his ring and his belt (which were very valuable) and said, "Keep these things, Beloved, and may the Lord be with us until His grace provides us with something better." Secretly leaving his home, he boarded a ship sailing for Mesopotamia.
Arriving in the city of Edessa, where the Icon of the Lord "Not-made-by-Hands" (August 16) was preserved, Alexios sold everything that he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Theotokos under a portico. The saint used a portion of the alms he received to buy bread and water, and he distributed the rest to the aged and infirm. Each Sunday he received the Holy Mysteries.
The parents sought the missing Alexios everywhere, but without success. The servants sent by Euphemianus also arrived in Edessa, but they did not recognize the beggar sitting at the portico as their master. His body was withered by fasting, his comeliness vanished, his stature diminished. The saint recognized them and gave thanks to the Lord that he received alms from his own servants.
The inconsolable mother of St Alexios confined herself in her room, incessantly praying for her son. His wife also grieved with her in-laws.
St Alexios dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. Once, the Mother of God spoke to the sacristan of the church where the saint lived: "Lead into My church that Man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. His prayer rises up to God like fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit rests upon him." The sacristan began to search for such a man, but was not able to find him for a long time. Then he prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, beseeching Her to clear up his confusion. Again a voice from the icon proclaimed that the Man of God was the beggar who sat in the church portico.
The sacristan found St Alexios and brought him into the church. Many recognized him and began to praise him. The saint secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St Paul in Tarsus. But God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the West and it reached the coast of Italy. The saint journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father's permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexios in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table.
Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The cell of Alexios was opposite his wife's windows, and the ascetic suffered grievously when he heard her weeping. Only his immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. St Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them.
On the day of St Alexios' death in 411, Archbishop Innocent (402-417) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius (395-423). During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: "Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror.
The Voice continued: "On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled." They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God.
After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: "Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus." All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper, and they were unable to take it. They placed the saint's body on a cot, covered with costly coverings. The Pope and the Emperor bent their knees and turned to the saint, as to one yet alive, asking him to open his hand. And the saint heard their prayer. When the letter was read, the righteous one's wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics.
The body of the saint was placed in the center of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick.
The venerable relics of St Alexios, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. The relics were uncovered in the year 1216.
The Life of St Alexios, the Man of God, was always very popular in Russia.
Source
The Skull of Saint Alexios the Man of God
The honourable head of St. Alexios was given as a gift to the Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavrita by Roman Emperor Manuel Paleologos in 1398. Till this day St. Alexios is the patron saint of Kalavrita, Greece where his skull still resides for veneration. A great feast takes place on the feast of St. Alexios with numerous pilgrims attending the all-night vigil. In the morning of the feast a procession takes place with the skull where it is brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Kalavrita where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
With the blessing of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the reliquary left Greece in 2005, for the first time since given to the Agia Lavra Monastery, and travelled to Moscow and placed at the Novospasskiy Monastery for public veneration.
St. Alexios is also highly honored in Patras where a metochion of Agia Lavra named after the Saint celebrates, among other parishes in Greece named after the Saint.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Though thou didst bud forth from a renowned and notable root, and though thou didst blossom from a city famed for her great imperial dignity, yet didst thou scorn all things as corruptible and fleeting, striving to be joined to Christ thy Master for ever. Entreat Him, O Alexios most wise, fervently for our souls.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As we celebrate today with fitting rev'rence the all-holy festival of Saint Alexios the all-blest, with hymns we praise him and cry aloud: Rejoice, thou gladsome adornment of righteous men.
Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:52 PM (11 hours ago)“I really don’t care what the law allows you to do…”from Overlawyered by Walter Olson“…It’s a more practical issue. Do you want to send your attorney a check every month indefinitely as I continue to pursue this?” [Paul Alan Levy, CL&P, on a business's threats against the "Insurance Forums" website]
Tags: bullying businesses, libel slander and defamation, online speech
Related posts
•Latest customer-complaint-website suit (2)
•Why defamation law protects opinion (2)
•Update: Schenectady BBS defamation (0)
•Update: Dow Jones settles online defamation suit (0)
•Update: CAIR using litigation to silence critics? (2)
Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:50 PM (11 hours ago)Japan Quake Epicenter Was in Unexpected Locationfrom Wired Top Stories by Devin Powell
1 person liked thisJapan has been expecting and preparing for the "big one" for more than 30 years. But the magnitude-9.0 temblor that struck March 11 -- the world's fourth biggest quake since 1900 -- wasn't the catastrophe the island nation had in mind. The epicenter of the quake was about 80 miles east of the city Sendai, in a strip of ocean crust previously thought unlikely to be capable of unleashing such energy.Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:50 PM (11 hours ago)http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/03/workplace-weapons/from Wired Top Stories by Christina Bonnington
2 people liked thisHere at Wired, we take things very seriously. Correction -- we take protecting our desks and planning sneak attacks on our coworkers very seriously. We put some different office warfare gadgets to the test.
Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:39 PM (11 hours ago)Two 2010 Hurricane Names Retiredfrom OurAmazingPlanet Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tags12:39 PM (11 hours ago)Spring Flooding Under Way, and Worst 'Still Ahead'from OurAmazingPlanet Add starLikeShareShare with noteEmailKeep unreadAdd tagsYou have no more items.But wait! We have recommended items waiting for you to read.Sweet! Show me my recommendations
St Alexios dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. Once, the Mother of God spoke to the sacristan of the church where the saint lived: "Lead into My church that Man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. His prayer rises up to God like fragrant incense, and the Holy Spirit rests upon him." The sacristan began to search for such a man, but was not able to find him for a long time. Then he prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, beseeching Her to clear up his confusion. Again a voice from the icon proclaimed that the Man of God was the beggar who sat in the church portico.
The sacristan found St Alexios and brought him into the church. Many recognized him and began to praise him. The saint secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St Paul in Tarsus. But God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the West and it reached the coast of Italy. The saint journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father's permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexios in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table.
Living at his parental home, the saint continued to fast and he spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. The cell of Alexios was opposite his wife's windows, and the ascetic suffered grievously when he heard her weeping. Only his immeasurable love for God helped the saint endure this torment. St Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them.
On the day of St Alexios' death in 411, Archbishop Innocent (402-417) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius (395-423). During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: "Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror.
The Voice continued: "On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled." They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God.
After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: "Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus." All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper, and they were unable to take it. They placed the saint's body on a cot, covered with costly coverings. The Pope and the Emperor bent their knees and turned to the saint, as to one yet alive, asking him to open his hand. And the saint heard their prayer. When the letter was read, the righteous one's wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics.
The body of the saint was placed in the center of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick.
The venerable relics of St Alexios, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. The relics were uncovered in the year 1216.
The Life of St Alexios, the Man of God, was always very popular in Russia.
The Skull of Saint Alexios the Man of God
The honourable head of St. Alexios was given as a gift to the Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavrita by Roman Emperor Manuel Paleologos in 1398. Till this day St. Alexios is the patron saint of Kalavrita, Greece where his skull still resides for veneration. A great feast takes place on the feast of St. Alexios with numerous pilgrims attending the all-night vigil. In the morning of the feast a procession takes place with the skull where it is brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Kalavrita where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
With the blessing of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the reliquary left Greece in 2005, for the first time since given to the Agia Lavra Monastery, and travelled to Moscow and placed at the Novospasskiy Monastery for public veneration.
St. Alexios is also highly honored in Patras where a metochion of Agia Lavra named after the Saint celebrates, among other parishes in Greece named after the Saint.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Though thou didst bud forth from a renowned and notable root, and though thou didst blossom from a city famed for her great imperial dignity, yet didst thou scorn all things as corruptible and fleeting, striving to be joined to Christ thy Master for ever. Entreat Him, O Alexios most wise, fervently for our souls.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As we celebrate today with fitting rev'rence the all-holy festival of Saint Alexios the all-blest, with hymns we praise him and cry aloud: Rejoice, thou gladsome adornment of righteous men.
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