August 15 / August 2

1. The Finding and the Translation of the Relics of Saint Stephen, the Archdeacon and Protomartyr, from Jerusalem to Constantinople (428)

When the wicked Jews slew St. Stephen by stoning, they left his body for the dogs to consume. However, God’s providence intended otherwise. The martyr’s body lay in an open place at the foothill of the city for one night and two days. The second night Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher and secretly a disciple of Christ, came and removed the body, taking it to Caphargamala, and buried it there in a cave on his own land. Gamaliel later buried his friend Nicodemus, who died weeping over the grave of Stephen, in the same cave. Gamaliel also buried his godson Abibus there; and, according to his own will, he himself was buried there also. Many centuries passed until no one living knew where the body of St. Stephen was buried. Then, in the year 415, during the reign of Patriarch John of Jerusalem, Gamaliel appeared thrice in dreams to Lucian, the priest at Caphargamala. Gamaliel related everything concerning the burial of himself, Stephen, and the others, showing him the exact spot of their forgotten grave. Affected by this dream, Lucian informed the patriarch, and, with his blessing, went with a group of men and exhumed the four. Gamaliel had already told him in the dream whose grave was which. A strong, sweet-smelling fragrance, emanating from the relics of the saints, permeated the entire cave. The relics of St. Stephen were then solemnly translated to Zion, and were honorably buried there. The relics of the remaining three were placed in a church, located on the hill above the cave. Many healings of the sick were occasioned by the relics of St. Stephen. Later on, St. Stephen’s relics were translated to Constantinople. Thus the Lord crowned with much glory him who shed his blood for His name.

2.  The Hieromartyr Stephen, Pope of Rome, and others with him Stephen was Pope of Rome from 253 to 257, during the reign of Emperor He struggled against the heretic Novatian. He cured Lucilla, the daughter of Nemesius the tribune, and baptized them both. Stephen, with twelve of his priests, was beheaded during the celebration of the Liturgy.

3.  The Holy and Blessed Basil, Fool-for-Christ of Moscow (1552)

Basil’s father was named Jacob, and his mother Anna. At age sixteen, he dedicated himself to a life of asceticism as a fool-for-Christ, and persevered for seventy-two years in this difficult ascesis. He lived to his eighty-eighth year. He traveled bareheaded, barefoot, and in rags. He had no permanent dwelling place. He admonished sinners, reprimanded noble- men, prophesied, and had visions of distant events. Having suffered greatly from hunger, frost, and the insults of men, Blessed Basil presented his holy soul to God. The metropolitan and Tsar Ivan attended his funeral. He was entombed in Moscow, in the Church of the Most-holy Theotokos, which was later re-consecrated in his name.

• Translation of the relics of Martyrs Dada, Maximus, and Quintilian, at Durosto- lon in Moesia (286).
• Translation of the relics (415) of the Righteous Nicodemus, Gamaliel, and Abibus, of Jerusalem (1st ).
• Blessed Basil of Kubensk (Vologda) (1472).
• Marco of Belavinsk (Vologda) (1492).
• New Martyr Theodore of the Dardanelles (1692).
• New Hieromartyr Platon, hieromonk, of Chasovo (Komi) (1937).

 

HYMN OF PRAISE

Gamaliel

In the middle of the dark night,
Gamaliel appeared To Lucian,
and revealed a wondrous mystery.
Gamaliel appeared as a dignified elder:
On his radiant face a mysterious smile,
With gray hair and a long, gray beard,
And a garment of white, adorned with a red cross.
Gamaliel set four casks
In a cave, beside four graves.
Three were of gold, the fourth of silver;
Each one was filled with beautiful flowers.
The first was full of red flowers,
The remainder with white ones from the spring of Paradise.
“This golden cask,” Gamaliel said,
“With red flowers, from which a fragrance flows,
Is set before the grave of St. Stephen,
Who shed his blood for the Living Christ.
The other two gold casks, with flowers so white,
Are shared by me, Gamaliel, and holy Nicodemus:
Here is his body, and there is mine.
And the fourth, of purest silver,
With white flowers, is by where Abibus rests—
My only son, whom I see alive.
His cask is white and his flowers are white
For his pure soul and pure body:
Young and baptized he died, like an early bloom,
I buried my son beside St. Stephen
That the saint might help my son Abibus,
As he helps every Christian.”

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