December 9 / November 26
1. The Venerable Alypius the Stylite, of Adrianople (640)
Alypius was born in Hadrianopolis, a city in Paphlagonia. From childhood, he was dedicated to the service of God. He served as a deacon with Bishop Theodore in the church in that city. But, desirous of a life of solitude, prayer, and meditation, Alypius withdrew to a Greek cemetery outside the city. This was a cemetery from which people fled in terror, because of frequent de- monic visions seen there. Alypius set up a cross in the cemetery and built a church in honor of St. Euphemia, who had appeared to him in a dream. Beside the church, he built a tall pillar, climbed on top of it, and spent fifty-three years there in fasting and prayer. Neither the mockery of men nor the evil of the demons was able to drive him away or cause him to waver in his inten- tion. Alypius especially endured countless assaults from demons. Not only did the demons try to terrorize him with apparitions, but stoned him as well, and gave him no peace, day or night, for a long time. The courageous Alypius protected himself from the power of the demons by the sign of the Cross and the name of Jesus. Finally, the demons were defeated and fled from him. Men began to revere him and come to him for prayer, consolation, instruction, and healing. Two monasteries were built beside his pillar, one on one side for men and one on the other for women. His mother and sister lived in the women’s monastery. St. Alypius guided the monks and nuns from his pillar, by example and words. He shone like the sun in the heavens for everyone, showing them the way to salvation. This God-pleas- er had so much grace that he was often illuminated in heavenly light, and a pillar of this light extended to the heavens above him. St. Alypius was a wonderful and mighty miracle-worker in life, and also after his repose. He lived for one hundred years and entered into rest in the year 640, during the reign of Emperor Heraclius. His head is preserved in the Monastery of Koutloumousiou on the Holy Mountain.
2. The Venerable James the Solitary, of Syria (457)
James was from Syria. He was a disciple of St. Maron (February 14) and a contemporary of St. Simeon the Stylite. He lived a life of asceticism under the open sky and ate soaked lentils. He performed great miracles, even raising the dead in the name of Christ. Emperor Leo asked him for his thoughts on the Council of Chalcedon [451]. He entered peacefully into rest in the year 457.
3. The Venerable Stylianus
Stylianus was from Paphlagonia and a fellow countryman and contemporary of St. Alypius. He had a great love for the Lord Jesus, and be-cause of this love gave himself up to great ascetic struggle. He renounced everything in order to have an undivided love for his Lord. Before his re-pose, angels came to take his soul, and his face shone like the sun. Stylianus was a great miracle-worker before and after his death. He especially helps sick children and childless couples.
4. The Venerable Nicon Metanoeitai, the Preacher of Repentance, of Armenia (998)
Nicon was born in Armenia. Awakened by the words of the Lord, Every one that hath forsaken … father or mother … shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life (Matthew 19:29), Nicon indeed forsook all for the sake of Christ, and went to a monastery, where he was tonsured a monk. When he was perfected in all virtues, he left the monastery and went to preach the Gospel among the people. He ceaselessly cried out, “Repent!” for which he was also called the “the Preacher of Repentance.” As a preacher, he visited all of Anatolia and the Peloponnese. He worked miracles by prayer in the name of Christ and peacefully went to his beloved Lord. He reposed in Sparta in the year 998.
5. Saint Innocent of Irkutsk, the Wonderworker, first bishop of Irkutsk
He reposed in the year 1731, and his miracle-working relics were un-covered in 1804.
- Peter, patriarch of Jerusalem (552).
- Dedication of the Church of George at Kiev (1051-1054).
- Athanasius and Theodosius, founders of Cherepovets Monastery (Vologda) (both ca. 1388), disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
- New Martyr George of Chios, at Kydonias in Asia Minor (1807).
- New Hieromartyr Tikhon, archimandrite, of Donskoy Monastery (Moscow) (1937).
- (Greek : St. Acacius, who is mentioned in The Ladder [6th c.]).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Venerable Alypius the Stylite
Loosed of all things, loosed from the world:
From life’s concerns and from the oppression of the passions.
Complete devotion to prayer and divine contemplation
Brought glory to St. Alypius.
On a pillar tall, he raised himself:
The farther from earth, the closer to God!
Complete devotion to prayer and divine contemplation
Brought glory to St. Alypius.
Let thunders resound, they will not strike,
The Lord directs and moves the lightning.
Utter devotion to prayer and divine contemplation
Brought glory to St. Alypius.
In prayer, he shone as the bright sun,
And his name, through the centuries, distinctly remains.
His meditations on God have made him immortal:
Wondrous Alypius the God-pleaser.
Now in the heavens a great pillar shines,
Which is the radiant soul of St. Alypius.
And now he is wholly devoted to prayer for us—
Alypius the Stylite, both yesterday and today.
Even now, evil spirits flee him,
And we rejoice in St. Alypius.
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