Saint Niphon Bishop of Constantiane, in Algeria of Africa.
A pious Christian related to me the following amazing incident: He told me that one Saturday night, when he was praying in the narthex of St Anastasius during the usual resurrectional vigil, the servant of God Nephon also came, because he always observed vigils every Saturday night in the churches of the saints.
“Well,” my companion said, “I see a large number of white-clad men travelling with him, some in front of him and others behind him, rejoicing that they were surrounding him. But even more dread, a cross as tall as he and glittering as if made of pure gold was rising in front of him. Similar glittering crosses were on the right and left, in back and over the saint’s head They were entwined and built a wall around him. When a temptation came, during that moment of the battle, the Lord, wanting to test him, permitted the crosses to part. Thus they left a small opening amongst them through which the enemies were able to throw their arrows. A great number of angels and demons watched the battle. The saint would raise his hands toward the Most-High God and with his pure mind would ascend to Him. He would remain up there praying. Seeing him and fearing the wrath of God, Satan would tremble and say to his army: ‘Let’s go, boys, away from this Nephon, because he has ascended to heaven and is praying against us to the Great One. Let’s disappear then before His wrath comes down and tortures us.’”
“And immediately they would vanish. Then that blessed one would come down to earth after the prayer, come to himself and, not finding any enemy, he would thank the good Lord Who shielded him.”
“Then the angels also departed happy, while the precious crosses came together again closing the entrance and guarding the righteous one.”
“Many times,” that good Christian continued, “the devil would come with a large number of demons to throw him in a passion but couldn’t, because, surrounded by the power of the cross, he would ridicule them and spit on them. Thus the dark demons, thoroughly ashamed, would disappear, while he glorified God even more for granting him such power against the invisible enemies.”
***
Another time when he was again in the country, he lifted up his hands to pray. Suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Lord sitting on a glorious throne surrounded by the apostles and a multitude of angels. Dazzled he stood looking at them. He wanted to fly like a bird, if he could, because he was ablaze with the desire to be close to them.
But they, too, were observing him with satisfaction, saying among themselves: “There’s our beloved friend, Nephon! Look, with what longing and love he looks at us! Rightly we also commemorate him during out divine and sacred Offices.”
The immaculate angels were saying these things. And when he came to himself, flooded with exhilaration, he extolled them with praises and songs full of sweetness. “Oh, how the holy angels love the Christian race! They help us in every good deed Then why shouldn’t our desire and longing remain unfailing for them, the precious stones, the glittering pearls, the heavenly beauty, the immortal flowers? They intercede for us unceasingly and they supplicate the Lover of man to pity us and deliver us from eternal fire. Night and day they stand by us: when we eat, they guard us and defend us; when we sleep, they cover us with their wings; when we work, walk or travel, they are always near us, protectors and helpers in everything!”
***
Homily on the Annunciation.
The Power of the Cross of God’s love.
Schema-Igumen Seraphim (Baradell)
“Today is the crown of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery that is from all eternity.” Today the Holy Spirit descended upon mankind in the person of the Most Pure One, and the Power of the Most High, the Word of God, overshadowed her and took up His abode in her. The ladder joining heaven and earth was established; man received the power to become God by grace, for the God-Man is conceived today in the womb of Her who is full of grace.
The annunciation, the crown of our salvation, is also the beginning of the Theophany, for in it the activity of the entire Holy Trinity begins to be revealed: the Father wills, the Son descends, and the Holy Spirit overshadows. This day is also the anticipation of Pentecost, for creation in the person of the Most Pure One has been vouchsafed to receive the Holy Spirit into itself, in a tangible action of the conception of God. That day also manifested in itself the power of God’s incarnation, for Mary became the Mother of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Creation was destined for the Annunciation from the very beginning of the world; it waited and thirsted for it. Thousands of years passed before the human race reached the time of its blossoming, and she who had found grace with God appeared on the earth. The Annunciation was preordained within the depths of the Holy Trinity; nevertheless, the good tidings of salvation needed yet to be heard and accepted by man. The Lord inviolably honors the freedom of His creature, and therefore the Annunciation was directed toward that freedom. When the Archangel addressed his words to her, the time had come to decide the fate of humanity, the fate of the entire creation. In ancient times, the fate of the human race was catastrophically decided through Adam and Eve in paradise. Now a new Eve, Mary, is given the choice of either accepting or rejecting the Incarnation of God. The Annunciation is the ultimate and final manifestation of God’s love for the world, of God’s condescension. But in it is also manifested God’s ultimate and final respect for His creation’s freedom. The Incarnation of God could only manifest to a free and loving recipient of God.
In the Most Pure Mary, full of grace, is concentrated all the power and all the will of man for receiving God. But this acceptance is the free and loving acceptance of the Cross, for the world was created by the Cross of divine love. It is also saved by the Cross—the Son is sent to the world to “take away the sins of the world”, in order to suffer out that sin, even unto death on the cross. And this Pre-eternal Counsel is fulfilled through the Cross’s power of Divine Love. That which manifests the power of the Cross in the heavens is on earth, in the sons of man, the joy of the Annunciation; for there never was nor can there ever be joy without the cross. Through the Cross of God’s love, piercing the virginal heart of creation, the most pure heart of the Ever Virgin Mother, the joy of the Annunciation now comes to the whole world.
However, this joy is not a worldly joy, which seeks pleasure and flees sorrows, for its path is that of the Cross. What the Archangel asked the Virgin related to her accepting the Cross of being the Mother of God, of which she was cognizant to the depths of her heart through her prophetic chastity.
She recognized the whole power of what she was being asked, and answered, Behold the handmaid of the Lord (Lk. 1:38)—how much meekness, how much courage, how much dedicated love there is in these meek words. The Annunciation was the tidings of Her Son’s cross and of the Mother of God’s standing by it. And at this immeasurable sorrow of the Cross, “through which joy shall come to all the world”, she, the Most Pure One, gave her consent to God: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. But by her, through her most pure lips, all creation uttered these words of the Cross; rejoicing in her are the whole assembly of angels and the race of man, together with all of created nature, responsively embracing and concealing within its hearing the mystery of the Annunciation of the Cross. “A bird will not feather its nest on this day,” witnesses an Orthodox Russian folk saying.
With the Most Pure Mother of God every human soul spoke and speaks now, opening itself up to receive the power of the Cross of God’s love, to receive the Holy Spirit and discover Christ Who is to be born. Mary gave her whole self to God till the end, she became the “Joy of Joys” for all who are born of earth, and showed us the way to acquire the incorruptible, immutable, eternal joy, saying, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Only through her submissive, obediently loving acceptance of God’s will for the Cross can true Joy come into each of our lives—for the Cross is the eternal witness of God’s love for the world, as well as of our love for God and man. The Cross is the power of love; this love is truly those glad tidings, the authentic joy, which is victorious and triumphant unto the ages.
But these days, alas, a great dark cloud of despair hangs over the earth, onerous trials are tearing our times apart, and the heavenly azure of the Annunciation is concealed in our despondent and cruel hearts by a dark covering. According to the words of Revelations, And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born (Rev. 12:4). Nevertheless, in answer to the dragon’s impotent rage we hear today the song of the Handmaid of the Lord: For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away (Lk. 1:48, 52–53), for the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and He shall save the humble of spirit. Declare the glad tidings, O earth, of this mystery—the glory of the Theotokos, of Golgotha!
O Virgin Mother, thou deepest well of living water in the desert of this world, give us who thirst also to drink from thy virginal hands, with the streams of the true wisdom of God, that through this we might be able to serve Christ Who suffers in this world, to serve the Lamb of God in spirit and in truth. As the beautiful red of paradisal fragrance conquers all sinful death, reveal also in us this day the mystery of Thy Annunciation of the Cross, the mystery of obedience even unto death, accepted voluntarily. Reveal the mystery of Thy sacrificial love to the end, unto which all meek creation hearkens, now rejoicing in Thee, and with mystical hymns calling Thee blessed; to which all who are humble and contrite of heart hearken. To thee do I call out in tears and with Gabriel Iam amazed at the exceeding radiant beauty of Thy virginity, and the fiery heights of Thy love, and the fathomless depths of Thy sorrow. We call out to Thee, O Most Pure One: “Rejoice O Thou who art full of grace, create also in us a maternal heart that cares for all the children of the world, and grant us Thy perfect joy—the joy of the Holy Spirit, now overshadowing Thee, and teach us to magnify Thee in Orthodox manner, and from day to day, night to night, to declare the glory of the Cross in Thee. May the sorrowing children of the earth be comforted in Thee as they sing: ‘Rejoice O Thou who hast received joy, the Lord is with Thee—He Who hast great and incomprehensible mercy.’” Amen.
Valaam Monastery, 2006
Schema-Igumen Seraphim (Baradell)
Translation by Nun Cornelia (Rees)
https://orthochristian.com/60653.html
THE GREEK REVOLUTION of 1821 has a sanctified breath, and its history is like a synaxarion….. Photios Kontoglou
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2021/03/23/the-greek-revolution-of-1821-has-a-sanctified-breath-and-its-history-is-like-a-synaxarion-photios-kontoglou/
Troparion of the Annunciation, Tone 4
Today is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of the eternal mystery! the Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace. Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.
Tone VI: Spec. Mel.:
“Having set aside …”:
“When God desireth, * the order of nature is overcome,” * said the incorporeal one; * “and things beyond man are wrought. * Believe thou my true words, * O most holy and immaculate one!” * And she cried aloud: * “Be it now with me according to thy words: * I shall give birth to the Incorporeal One, * Who will borrow flesh from me, * that through this union He might lead mankind up * to his primal dignity, ** in that He alone is mighty!” (Twice)
Exapostilarion:
Spec. Mel.: “With the disciples …”:
The supreme commander of the angelic hosts was sent by God Almighty to the pure Virgin, to announce a strange and ineffable wonder; for God, Who watcheth over the whole human race, became a babe through her without seed. O ye people, tell forth the glad tidings of the restoration of the world! (Twice)
Glory …, Now & ever …, the composition of Theophanes, in Tone II:
Today the mystery is revealed which was hidden from before time began, and the Son of God becometh the Son of man, that, taking upon Him that which is worse, He might grant me that which is higher. Of old Adam was deceived, and though he desired to become a god, he could not; yet God becometh a man that He might make Adam a god. Let creation be glad, let nature dance! For the archangel standeth with fear before the Virgin and offereth her “Rejoice!”, as an antidote to grief. O our God Who hast become a man in the tender compassion of Thy mercy, glory be to Thee!
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