SAINT ANTHONY THE GREAT +January 17th

 

By Archimandrite Elpidios Vagianakis (in greek)

SAINT ANTHONY THE GREAT

FOUNDER OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM

(Commemorated on January 17th)

HIS CHILDHOOD YEARS

Saint Anthony was born in 251 A.D.  in Koma, a small village in south Memphis in Egypt near the banks of the Nile River, during the era of the Roman Emperor Decius, a notorious persecutor of Christians.

His parents were rather wealthy but also devout Christians. By his nature little Anthony was an extremely sweet, polite, and humble child. Everyone loved him as their own child for the goodness and respect which he showed to all people.

He loved everyone, even the most scorned person. Whenever Anthony saw a poor, orphaned or sick child, he was inclined to assist them. 

Even though he was so young, his words were full of wisdom and prudence.

But what most impressed everyone and made them refer to him as a child of God was his great devotion and tender love towards Jesus Christ. Whenever he spoke of Him, his heart would burn like lava in a volcano.

His greatest joy was attending divine services with his beloved parents in their small village church. There, he would listen carefully to the reading of the Gospels, which he had an eager desire to follow and apply precisely in his life.

19. The little sheep of God (Saint Agnes)

19. The little sheep of God

(Saint Agnes)

In the first three centuries A.D. the Christian Church lived one of the most bloody and most heroic periods in its history. Masses of Christians wrote with their blood moving pages of love about the Crucified Jesus and His Gospel.

Terrible and horrible tortures were invented, to eradicate from the hearts of the faithful Christians the love they had for our Lord Jesus Christ.

The boldness, however, and the courage all the Christians showed when facing the tortures were remarkable! With unimaginable patience and bravery, children and adults, men and women, young and old, even young children suffered all these tortures with enthusiasm, for the sake of their Christian faith.

One such child, the young noble Agnes, was in her early teens, when she was asked to confess with courage the love she had for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saint Agnes was born in the year 290 A.D. in Rome. The Emperor was then the great persecutor of Christians, Diocletian. Her parents had aristocratic origins and were very wealthy. From the time she was a toddler Agnes learnt about Christ and like a thirsty fawn which runs to the spring of gurgling water to drink, she was studying the holy Gospel and the great teaching of love, as interpreted through the Holy Book.

18. A heavenly sunbeam (The Great Martyr Saint Christina)

18. A heavenly sunbeam 

(The Great Martyr Saint Christina)

Like a heavenly sunbeam the only daughter of General Ourvanos was born and raised in the city of Tyre in Syria, around 200 AD. Everyone from far and wide spoke about her wonderful beauty, but also about this young noble girl’s good manners.

Her father, being a supreme general was often away in the East with the troops of King Severus and fearing that someone would dare to hurt her during his absence, built a tall tower. He enclosed his little girl in this together with many servants to look after her.

The greatest fear of her pagan father was that someone would introduce Christianity to his daughter. So that's why he filled this tower with dozens of gold and silver statues of pagan gods. In this tower, there was everything, so that his daughter would not need to come out at all, that's why he strictly ordered her not to leave the tower.

17. The Pearl of Sicily (The life of St. Agatha)

17. The Pearl of Sicily 

(The life of St. Agatha)

The precious pearl of heaven, Saint Agatha, was born and raised in Sicily, Italy in the 3rd century AD, when the Emperor of Rome was Decius.

She was only fifteen years old when the persecution of the Christians began. But the divine love that burned her breasts for her beloved Jesus was so great that she was not afraid at all. Instead she ran to support the Christians of her country and help them to remain faithful to the true faith of Christ.

She said that we live temporarily on this earth and that our true home is in heaven, in God's embrace. What's the point, then, of living here for a few years of false joys and pleasures and then losing the eternal happiness of Heaven?

She helped them with her example, to love her heavenly Bridegroom of Jesus even more and for His grace not to fear anything, not even the terrible tortures of the idolaters.

14. The three holy noble children (The life of St. Sophia)

14. The three holy noble children 

(The life of St. Sophia)

When the Emperor of Rome was Hadrian (117 A.D.- 138 A.D.) there lived in a town in Italy, a young and wealthy noble Christian woman whose name was Sophia.

She had lost her husband very early and lived alone with her three beautiful daughters, Faith, who was 12 years old, Hope, who was 10 years old and Love, who was just 9 years old. All three girls had a radiant beauty, not only physical beauty, but essentially from the many mental and spiritual gifts they had.

Sophia, as a mother, was a very good role model. She was kind, modest, humble, with a burning love for Christ in her heart, but also she was incredibly tender-hearted towards all poor and suffering people.

MAKE YOUR HEAVENLY FAMILY PROTECTORS OF YOUR SOULS

34. Make your heavenly family

protectors of your souls.

(Sermon for the celebration of Saint Markella and Saint Maria Magdalene)

Introduction

Saint Markella of Chios celebrates today!  Today Saint Isidoros, patron of your village, celebrates as well since Saint Markella is his sister.  Both, as you know, come from Chios.  
 The saints are like us. 

-When our friend or relative celebrates, don’t we celebrate too?

-Yes.

-When a friend, relative or fellow villager happens to be celebrating, don’t we go to greet him?

-Yes.  We celebrate all together.

The same occurs in heaven.  In heaven, all the saints are one family.  Each one loves the other.  It is not like here on earth where one person may hate the other.  In heaven they are all one family. 

I HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL MY SAINTS AND ANGELS AS PRECIOUS HELPERS!

«I HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL MY SAINTS AND ANGELS AS PRECIOUS HELPERS!»

Jesus says to everyone: I want you to change your way of life and know this.

If I had allowed the Devil play tricks on you, he would have done great damage to you. But I made sure that you have other great powers to help you in your spiritual life. 

The power of angels and saints whom you must beg and ask for help.