Bože!

Theodore was a general in the early fourth century during the reign of Licinius. He was renowned for his skill as a strategist and commander of men. However, he was a believer. Licinius wanting to pursuade Theodore to revert to paganism, and through him those who honoured and respected him, went to see the general in person at Heraclea.

The two men recieved one another with great honour, finally the emperor asked Theodore to make an offering to the gods. Theodore asked instead that he might take the emperor’s personal idols home with him to worship in private, and that the following day he would restore them, and make a public offering. Licinius was re-assured that his plan was working and granted Theodore’s request.

At home, the general, far from worshipping the gods, broke up the gold and silver statues and distributed the pieces to the poor. The next morning a centurion reported to Licinius that he had seen a pauper carrying the head of Artemis (goddess of the hunt, wilderness, fertility and virginity).

Theodore confessed his faith in Christ, and the enraged emperor had him crucified, and tortured while on the cross. The following day, he sent soldiers to dump the body in the sea, but they found the saint whole, and alive. Seeing that his own entourage were beginning to be persuaded themselves, Licinius ordered Theodore to be beheaded.

Today is also cheesefare, and the seventh day of the feast of the Presentation.

Martyred in AD 251 Agatha was a Virgin from a noble Sicilian family and lived in Catania. She was tortured to death in part because she refused to abandon her asceticism and marry the local governor. Legend says that when she was buried an angel placed a stone inscribed with the words: “A righteous mind, self-determining, honour from God, the deliverance of her father-land” over the grave. The following year Mt. Etna erupted Catania was spared the devastation of the surrounding region. The belief is that it was through Agatha’s intervention that Catania was spared. She is now the protectress of Sicily.

My question is – surely there were saints and martyrs buried in the other areas around Catania – so  . . . um . . .what were they doing at the time? . . . Step away. I hear the flapping of wings!

Today is also Meatfare the run up to the Great Fast.

The story of Symeon & Anna is told in Luke 2. Symeon was an old man, righteous and devout, who recieved the revealation that he would not die before seeing the Messiah (Lk. 2.27). Symeon was in the Temple when Jesus was presented for his circumcision; he took him into his arms and declared:

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the people, a light for revelation of the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Lk. 2.29-32)

Symeon’s utterance forms one of the main chants of Vespers.

Anna an elderly widow who spent her time in prayer and fasting came forward too, gave thanks to God and prophesied about the child. Sadly Luke does not include any of her utterances in the text – which might suggest that Symeon’s words had already served some liturgical function when Luke was compiled?

Traditionally today commemorates the translation of the remains of John Chrysostom from his original burial place in Armenia to Constantinople. What is interesting about this feast day is the underlying issue of reconciliation, and restoration.

Chrysostom was a stormy character, invoking the ire of the imperial court because of his uncompromising attitudes towards among other things their decadence. He is famous for having the archepiscopal palace stripped of a gift of fine marble, selling it, and using the proceeds to feed and house the poor. Flying in the face of “propriety” Chrysostom maintained his (overzealous) ascetic practice even after having been elevated to the archepiscopacy – and as such he did not host the expected lavish banquets for someone of his rank at the heart of the imperial court.

In 403 Chrysostom was deposed and sent into exile for the last time. His memory however continued to pose problems for his immediate successors in order to restore unity within the church at Constantionple, and – more importantly – to “apologise” for the wrongs he endured in life. Chrysostom’s relics were translated to Constantinople, and his name restored to the dyptychs around AD438.

The Synod of the Oak that condemned him in the first place is recognised as having been not so much a synod as a political lynching. Which does not take a trained theologian to tell you is not an activity faithful to the ethos of the Gospel. Chrysostom’s translation and restoration which took place during the lifetime of some of those who condemned him, is largely a recognition of this failing of “the church” and was an explicit demonstration of the falibility of even the most faithful leaders of the community. Likewise it would seem to demonstrate that intransigence is not Christian.

So while normally I would look to highlight one of the other saints commemorated today – Peter of Egypt for example – rather than an event, on this occasion I think that it is worth reflecting on some of the ramifications of “simply” moving the relics of John Chrysostom from A to B and the thinking or discernment that went into that act.

Thanks to Lyngine for forwarding this rather interesting article from Newsweek to me. Lisa Miller (the article’s author) writes that a recent Pew Forum study shows that 7 percent of Americans worship in small groups in house churches rather than attending larger gatherings/congregational settings.

The article goes on to explore some of the reasons – the era of the mega church is over, one size does not fit all when it comes to worship & spirituality, and the rigid institutionalism of “traditional” denomonations distracts and deterrs the faithful.

What was interesting to me however, from an OC/IC perspective is the analogy between mega-church and micro-church and big brand beer, and micro-breweries. A bit flimsy at first but lets think about the branding ideas, the backround imagery for a moment. When you think micro-brewery, you think small, local producer, you think quality, traditional manufacturing but quirky enough to bend a bit here, and be flexible there.

Hmmm . . . perhaps this is not such a bad analogy aferall. Perhaps this is a decent working image set for an indie community to use to draw up an outreach plan for 2010?

Today is the Synaxis of John the Forerunner – it is a sensible place for a feast commemorating John, prophet, precursor of Christ, and the one who plays a key role in the Theophany event.

It is however, curious that John gets at least four feast days in the liturgical cycle three of them are focussed on the losing of, or finding of his head: the beheading of the Forerunner is traditionally celebrated on 29 August, the first and second finding of the head of the Forerunner is commemorated on 24 February, and the third finding of his head is 25 May. All of this losing and finding of the poor prophet’s head leaves one wondering if the early church was capable of keeping valuables safe at all! Or perhaps they were unable to decide if he was truly such a key figure in the history of the faith?

Oh and we celebrate his birthday on 24 June.

Perhaps it is time to pick a day – and really make a day of it – like today, the event that marks the pinnacle of John’s role in the Christian story. We call this feast a synaxis – or coming together. It makes sense that it ought to be the coming together of all of John’s feasts in to one big blow out.

Perhaps the second most important feast in the liturgical cycle (Pascha being the first) today we celebrate the manifestation of the Trinity, and the philanthropy of God.

“When you enlightened all things at the time of your manifestation, . . . the Jordan reversed its course, flowing uphill and carrying us to heaven.”

Today is also the annual great blessing of water – and the blessing of homes for the coming year. Whereupon much partying ensues.

Around this time of year we often hear about “re-claiming” Christmas; often with very little effect. However, this piece by Religion & Ethics Newsweekly on a move to re-claim St. Nicholas is I think a very thoughtful and possibly one of the more effective places to start.

Born to a noble family around AD 675 – John was well educated, and served as a counsellor to the Caliph. When iconoclasm began, under Emperor Leo the Isaurian, John wrote in defence of the icons. As a member of the Caliph’s court, John was beyond the reach of Leo; so he had a letter forged that implicated John in a plot to attack Damascus. The Caliph was so enraged at John’s apparent act of treason, he had John’s hand cut off (what’s interesting is that he did not have him executed).

John requested, and obtained his severed hand. That night he prayed before an icon of the Theotokos. She appeared to him in a dream – healing his hand. When he later woke, he discovered that indeed his hand had been restored. According to one legend this is the origin of the icon of the Theotokos of Three Hands – it began as her being painted with a medallion of a hand around her neck, and later “morphed” into her actually having three hands.

The miraculous restoration of John’s hand convinced the Caliph of his innocence and he restored John to his former dignity. However, John by this time, wanted to withdraw from the world, and with the Caliph’s permission, entered the monastic life.

John was a prolific writer, in addition to defending the veneration of icons, he wrote the first systematic presentation of orthodoxy, as well as an apologetic/refutation of Islam. He was also a skilled hymnographer, whose forms are still used today.

Late in life John was ordained to the priesthood by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. He died in AD 760, aged 84.

One of the minor prophets. Zephaniah lived in the 7th century BC.