March 25 / March 12
1. The Venerable Theophanes the Confessor, of Sigriane (818)
Theophanes is called the Sigrian because Sigriane was his birthplace. He was a kinsman of the Emperor Leo the Isaurian and his son Coprony- mus. He possessed great wealth and splendor. But all of this lost its worth for Theophanes when the Lord Christ began to reign in his soul. He re- sisted his own marriage, and when he was compelled to marry, succeeded in counseling his bride to live with him in chastity, as brother and sister. As soon as his parents died, his wife entered a convent and he, a monastery. His monastery was located in the Sigrian Mountains in the Province of Cyzicus. The once-glorious and wealthy Theophanes lived in this monastery as the least of the poor. All were amazed at the change in him. Having become renowned because of his strong faith, abstinence, and wisdom, he was summoned to the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 787], where the veneration of icons was confirmed. Because of his purity and chastity, God bestowed upon him the gift of performing miracles, by which he cured all diseases, especially maniacal disorders and insanity. He prayed to God for all the sick and the unfortunate, and through his prayers, he helped them. Only when he himself became ill and his illness was prolonged did he refuse to pray to God for the restoration of his own health but endured his illness with gratitude. When the persecution by the iconoclasts resumed again under the wicked Leo the Armenian, Theophanes was brought to Constantinople and cast into prison, where he languished for two years in hardships, pain, and humiliation. Then the emperor exiled him to the island of Samothrace. This banishment he had earlier foreseen in his spirit and had foretold it to his jailers. After he arrived at Samothrace, he lived for twenty-three days and then departed to His Lord and Creator to receive his merited wreath of glory.
2. The Venerable Simeon the New Theologian (1022)
This God-bearing and great Father of the Church was born in Galatia, Paphlagonia. Simeon was educated in Constantinople and was assigned as a courtier in attendance to the Emperors Basil and Constantine Porphyrogenitus. Simeon left all for the sake of Christ and
retreated to a monastery. He lived a life of asceticism under the direction of the Elder Simeon, after which he became the abbot of the Monastery of St. Mamas and in the end became a recluse. He is the greatest theologian since St. Gregory the Theologian. Simeon felt God’s grace in his heart. His words are true spiritual and theological revelations. He died in 1022. His relics are miracle-working.
3. Saint Gregory the Dialogist, Pope of Rome
He was the son of Senator Gordianus and afterward a senator himself and mayor of the city of Rome. As soon as his father died, Gregory sur- rendered himself to the spiritual life. From his wealth, he built six monasteries in Sicily, and built a seventh in the city of Rome in honor of St. An- drew the Apostle, where he was tonsured a monk. Sylvia, his mother, entered a convent and was tonsured a nun. After the death of Pope Pelagius II, Gregory was chosen as pope. He fled from this honor and authority, hid- ing himself in the mountains and ravines. Nevertheless, the Lord revealed him to those who were seeking him in the following manner: a fiery column arose from earth to heaven at the place where Gregory hid himself. He was exceptionally charitable. All of his income was used for building shelters and hospices for the needy. Often he invited less fortunate men and served them at the table. He spent his time writing beneficial books. He is also called the Dialogist because he wrote a book called The Dialogues, in which he extolled the miracles of the Italian saints. He also composed the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays of Great Lent. His Archdeacon Peter saw a dove flying above Gregory’s head as he was seated writing. He presented himself to the Lord in the year 604.
- Righteous Aaron the High Priest (ca. 1530 b.c.), brother of Prophet Moses the God-seer.
- Righteous Phineas (ca. 1500 c.), grandson of Aaron.
- Cyrus, monk, of Alexandria (6th c.).
- Paul Aurelian, bishop of Leon in Brittany (572).
- Alphege, bishop of Winchester, England (951).
- Nicodemus of Mammola in Calabria (990).
- Martyr Demetrius the Devoted, king of Georgia (1289).
- Dragutin (monk Theoctistus) of Serbia (1316).
- New Hieromartyr Vladimir (Volkov), archimandrite, of Islavskoe (Moscow) (1938).
- Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Not-Made-by-Hands” (on the Pillar) at
HYMN OF PRAISE
Saint Theophanes
Leo the Armenian offers Theophanes As many riches as he wants,
If only he will sign his name
On the evil roster of the iconoclasts.
From the dungeon Theophanes writes to him:
“O Emperor, I cannot please you,
I cannot be true both to you and to God.
While I was young and agreeable to the world,
I had immense wealth.
I left all and turned to God;
I distributed all and withdrew to the wilderness,
Yet in the wilderness I had no hunger:
God feeds and sweetens me with Himself.
In my old age, what do you offer me?
Dust that I despised in my early youth!
There is nothing, O Emperor, that you can give me
That the Lord does not give me a hundredfold,
Except tortures, for which I waited so long.
Tortures will separate me from the world
And unite me with the All-precious Lord.
O Emperor, why do you wage war against icons?
Was not Christ Himself as an icon,
As an icon of the Eternal Hypostases,
As an icon of the Trinity Almighty,
As an icon of the unseen God,
Unseen and unapproachable.
He will judge both you and me.
Rule, O Emperor, but give way to your replacement.
The world passes, and only God remains.
Whoever is with God does not fear the world.”
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