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THE FIRST
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day died the holy father, Abba Gregory the monk. This holy and blessed man was a native of Upper Egypt, and his parents were holy and righteous Christians, and they were exceedingly rich, and their possessions were very great. And they taught their son every kind of sacred and profane learning, and then they taught him the doctrine of wisdom and the art of speaking, and the Books of the Holy Church. Next they sent him to Father Isaac, bishop of their city, and he laid his hand upon him and made him a reader; then they required from him that he should marry a wife, but this thing he refused [to do]. After this they brought him to the bishop, and he appointed him a full deacon. And Gregory used to go continually to Abba Pachomius, and learn from him the way of God, and took very much money from his parents and brought it to the Holy Father Abba Pachomius. And he made many petitions unto him, beseeching him to give this money to those who built monasteries, but Saint Abba Pachomius devoted it to the building of a church, and a lodging for the monks and for his own meetings. And after this he renounced the whole world, and all the goods and possessions thereof, and he went to Abba Pachomius, who arrayed him in the garb of the monastic life. And Gregory dwelt with him, and labored both in soul and body, and he fought a great fight with fasting and prayer, in lowliness, and humility and submission, and gentleness and love. Even the fornicators when they saw him learned from his appearance and example the fear of God, and they forsook their evil deeds and repented, and became men of clean lives. And he dwelt with Abba Pachomius for thirteen years. When Saint Abba Macarius came to Abba Pachomius, and dwelt with him for a few days (now he wanted to return to the desert of Scete), this holy man Gregory entreated Saint Abba Pachomius, saying, “O my father, permit me to go with Saint Abba Macarius to the desert of Scete,” and he commanded him to go with him, and Saint Gregory went with Saint Abba Macarius, and he dwelt with him for many years. Then he asked Saint Abba Macarius to allow him to live the life of an anchorite in the desert for a little; and he said, “Do what thou wishest.” And he departed into the mountain and dug out a small cave for himself, and he dwelt there for seven years. And he used to come to Saint Abba Macarius twice each year, once at the time of the festival of the birth of the Glorious One, and once on the day of the festival of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and he partook of the Holy Mysteries [on each occasion] and returned to his cave. And Abba Macarius questioned him about all his work each year, and he revealed unto him everything, which he saw, and Abba Macarius used to lay down for him the ascetic labors of the monastic life, which he had to perform. When he had completed two and twenty years of strife God wished to give him rest from this world. And He sent to him an angel who said unto him, “After three days thou shalt depart from this fleeting world, and shalt enter everlasting life.” And Saint Gregory called the elders of the desert of Scete, and embraced them, and asked them to remember him, and they also asked him to remember them before God; and after three days he died and went into everlasting life. And on this day also died Saint Bedratos (Quadratus), one of the two and seventy disciples whom our Lord Jesus Christ chose. This holy apostle was one of the sons of the elders of Athens, and he was one of their learned nobles; he believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise, and served Him. And having received the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, on the day of the festival of Pentecost, he departed into many cities, and preached the Holy and Life-giving Gospel. And he went into the city of Magnis and preached the Holy Gospel therein, and he illumined the hearts of the men of that city with the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he baptized them with Christian baptism. And he taught them the life-giving commandments of the Gospel, and he appointed priests and deacons for them. Then he went forth from them and entered the city of Athens and preached therein; and they stoned him and tortured him very severely. After they had tortured him they cast him into the fire, and he yielded up his soul, and received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of heaven. And on this day also are commemorated Betrewa and Latayn the martyrs, and the death of Gabriel the archbishop, and Theodore, and Netrolomes, and the strife of Saint Eusanius (Ausanius), and Nestius, and Zianus, and Justus, and his brother ‘Elsarey, and Fratus (Phratus), and Cosmas, and Damianus.
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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