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THE THE
EIGHTH
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day is the festival of the commemoration of our holy Lady, the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer, who maketh intercession with her Beloved Son on behalf of the children of men, and maketh Him to forgive the sins of those who call upon her name. Therefore it is meet for us to keep the feast on the day of her commemoration. Salutation and blessing be to the virginity of the Lady Mary, both internally and externally. And on this day also died the holy father Berutawos. This honorable man was one of the learned counselors and philosophers in the city of Athens, and he was one of the numbers of the learned sages of the Council Chamber. He frequented the company of Saint Paul, the Apostle, and they disputed together about the Faith, and it was clear to Berutawos that there was no True Faith except that of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he believed through the Apostle Paul, who baptized him with Christian baptism, and taught him the Ordinances and Law of the Church; and after this he laid his hand upon him, and made him Bishop of the city of Athens. And this man frequented the company of Saint Dionysius, [and] Abba Roba, of peasant family, the chief of the learned men of the great city of Athens, and he revealed to him the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he explained to him whatsoever was obscure therein, and he was exceedingly learned. And this holy man Berutawos came on the day of the death of our holy Lady the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer, and he stood among the apostles, and he comforted them with the spiritual songs and hymns which he had written, and which he himself sang to pretty tunes and to the accompaniment of a sweetly-voiced flute. He converted many Jews and Gentiles, and brought them to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; he trafficked in the grace, which had been given unto him, and he made very great profit thereby. When the apostles wanted to make him a bishop, he beseeched and entreated them, saying, “Be pleased to excuse me, for I am not fitted for this honorable position, and I am not able to perform the duties of a priest.” And having received heavenly grace in his knowledge, and work, and learning, he departed to God. Salutation to Berutawos who sang and played funerary music with the Apostles, when the Virgin Mary died. And on this day were martyred ‘Akresokos, and Yak’asos, and Yoras. And on this day also died the honored father, the great and memorable preacher of the Faith, who was like unto the Apostles, Abba ‘Inbakom (Habakkuk). God called this holy man from a far country to the monastery of our father Abba Takla Haymanot, in the days of our father Peter, and it was Peter who baptized him, with Christian baptism, with his own hand, and he gave him into the charge of a teacher, and after this he arrayed him in the garb of a monk. And ‘Inbakom (Habakkuk) fought good spiritual fights of every kind, and at length he was worthy to be appointed to the throne of our father Takla Haymanot, and he was one of the company of the Eleven Learned Fathers. After this he departed to God, Who loved him, at a good old age, having suffered much tribulation and persecution, and labored hard. Salutation to ‘Inbakom (Habakkuk).
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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