Papa-Dimitri Gagastathis and His Relationship With the Archangels

To read the autobiography of the Blessed Papa-Dimitri Gagastathis (1902-1975) is to read about the special relationship he had with his heavenly protectors, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. There are many instances in his life in which they intervened to save his life and guide him along the correct path of God's will. Though he was a married priest with nine daughters, he was an angel in the flesh for his pure and simple faith, and for this reason his relationship with his heavenly protectors was extraordinarily close that every time he boldly called upon them they immediately responded.

Below is an example from Papa-Dimitri's autobiography to show how the Archangels once delivered him from error:

On February 22, 1943, [pro-communist] guerrilla forces came to the village with patriotic slogans. In the beginning they looked like saints, just in order to win everyone over. They were "wolves in sheep's clothing". I was fooled as well and followed them. We provided them with food, clothing, etc. However, from the very first moment I started supporting them, the church of the Archangels would not receive me. Even when I was in there, I felt a pressure to leave quickly, as though somebody was chasing me out. I realized that I had fallen in sin and that I was being chastised for it and I beseeched the Archangels to relieve me. While I was serving one Sunday, before Doxology, a thought crossed my mind that the Church was being threatened by communism and that I should get sacrificed for Her, according to the Holy Gospel: "I lay down my soul for the sheep" (John 10:11). I made a resolution to preach against communism. After I finished Divine Liturgy, I went to the Archangels and asked them to assist me in the great struggle that was about to start. Immediately the fear left me....

That night, I saw in my sleep two radiant Greek Army officers, who brought me several loaves of bread and said: "Don't be afraid! We are on your side. Nothing will happen to you. Here, take these loaves, because you've got a long way to go - an arduous, hard, and inevitable way. That is for sure the way of victory, but it'll take time. In every danger, we'll be with you. This is the real way of God!"

From then on I resolved to proclaim steadfastly that the communists were the enemies of the Church, Country, and Family. Me, to deny my Christ? Never! They called me in three times for interrogation. They wanted to make me change my mind and keep quiet, just as other priests in our district had done. but I stood firm and prayed to the Archangels to help me with my duty. I didn't sign the declaration they wanted. "I'll die on my duty", I said.

On another occasion the Archangel Michael came to the aid of Papa-Dimitri and rescued him from danger:

On October 20, 1945, Sunday morning, just after I rang the bell, guerrilla troops encircled the village. A nationalist squad had camped in our village, and they wanted to destroy us all. I had just entered the church. On hearing all the commotion, I crossed myself, asked St. Nicholas' help, and ran out quickly. They fired at me with their rifles, but no bullet touched me. I headed towards another village where a nationalist army was. After a short while, eleven horseman overtook me. The bullets pierced the cassock, but not me... They encircled me at about fifty meters and shouted: "Where are you gonna go bearded devil, eh?" (They cursed me meanly). I lifted up my hands to heaven and cried from the depths of my soul: "Archangel Michael, I'm in danger, save me!" And behold, O great wonder: Archangel Michael appeared like lightening! He threw their chief down from his horse, cutting the bands of the saddle with his sword. The chief broke his spinal cord, while the other ten were frozen on the spot. One of them finally told me: "Forgive us, my pastor, go on your way! You've got high protectors!" "Thank you", I said. I forgave them and prayed to God to enlighten them so they might repent and become good men. "Always speak the truth", I told them, "and may God be your help."

Papa-Dimitri also records how a demon possessed woman was healed by the power of the Holy Archangels:

In August, 1958, the following happened to a young woman from Platanos. Since her childhood, she had fallen into many carnal sins. Two months ago, she started cohabitating with a fifty-four year old man. The righteous Judge, though, waited for her repentance. On August 6 she got possessed by unclean spirits. They beat her a lot and she screamed wildly. She could not see, hear, or recognize anyone. She was in another world. On August 8, he relatives called me to read a prayer over her. She gave no response. Then they asked for an icon of the Most Great Archangels to be brought to her. When the icon arrived, a radiant young man with a sword appeared to her - as she herself confessed later - and told her: "Don't be afraid, I'll deliver you from all this. But you have to repent and no more do what you have been doing so far. I'll protect you, but you must proclaim that the Church has a living religion for everyone to see and repent." And immediately - O great wonder! - she became well. The woman repented indeed and related to everyone what she saw and suffered. She kept saying: "Believe in God and in all His Saints. Believe especially in the grace of the Most Great Archangels - they have great power and can accomplish everything!" When I went to read a prayer over her on another occasion, she came forward to kiss my hand and thank the Archangels for their protection.

These are just a few of many such manifestations of the special bond Papa-Dimitri had with his heavenly protectors. May we follow his example and seek such a close relationship with the Archangels and all the Saints, whom we can boldly call upon and they can also come to our aid in the same special way.

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Miracles of the Taxiarchis of Mantamadou in Lesvos

Archangel Michael of Mantamados (Gr. O Μανταμάδος) refers to a miraculous icon of the Archangel Michael on the island of Lesvos and is one of the four miraculous icons of the Archangel in the Dodecanese of Greece. The monastery is known locally as Taxiarches (the Archangels) and the feast of the icon is celebrated on November 8 (the Synaxis of the Bodiless Powers) and September 6 (the Miracle at Colossae).

History

There are two accounts surrounding the date of this icon, one having to do with the Ottoman Turkish occupation and destruction of 1462, and the other with Saracen pirates during the 9th and 10th centuries during which the entire island was invaded.

In either case, the story of the creation of the icon shares the theme that the target of the raids was the Monastery of the Taxiarchis. The pirates threatened the monks with death if they would not reveal the whereabouts of the hidden villagers (some say treasures of the monastery). The monks refused and the invaders slaughtered all of the monks except for one novice-monk, named Gabriel who remained hidden.

As the pirates where leaving, the novice climbed to the roof of the monastery to be sure that the pirates had left. However, the pirates noticed him from afar and returned to kill him as well. It is at this point in the story that the Archangel Michael makes his appearance in front of the Saracens with his own sword drawn forcing them to retreat in terror. Thanks to this miracle from the Archangel the monk survived and descending to the courtyard buried the bodies of his fellow brotherhood.

The monk still in deep respect and reverence for having witnessed the Archangel Michael in all his fury, gathered up the earth that was red by the blood of the martyred monks and shaped it into the icon-sculpture of the Archangel as it is today; while it was still vivid in his memory. According to legend, the monk did not have enough of this dirt-blood mix and so the head of the Archangel has turned out disproportionately larger to the rest of his body.

Characteristic Miracles of the Icon

Centuries have passed but the ‘bas-relief’ icon still preserves its freshness and remains as if untouched by time and the kisses of thousands of pilgrims. On the cheeks and forehead of the icon, believers place metal coins (for blessing) that leave marks on the face though these marks then fade away. From time to time, the Archangel’s eyes are filled with tears which Christians wipe away with little pieces of cotton. They do the same with the beads of perspiration which occasionally appear on the icon.

Another miracle is that a good and faithful person who approaches the icon to pray may receive a unique reaction from St. Michael the Archangel. The expression on the face of the icon might change to a healthy shade of red and sometimes there is a joyful smile on the face of the icon. But when a bad person approaches the icon, the Archangel Michael’s face darkens and becomes fierce and, on certain occasions, some people are held back from approaching by an invisible force. It is widely believed that the Archangel has appeared many times in the past to the Turks by whom he is respected and revered but also feared.

Offerings to the Icon

Offerings to the Archangel vary. Inside the church, a variety of military offerings such as swords, shields and uniforms may be seen. One of the most famous offerings to the Archangel was a pair of metal shoes known as “the Archangel’s Shoes” which subsequently showed signs of wear. Thereafter, more pilgrims have brought metal shoes and placed them near the Archangel’s icon. They then ask him to help find what they are searching for. Young ladies usually ask for help in finding a suitable husband. When their paths lead them back to the monastery, the pilgrims search for the shoes they had offered the Archangel. They then check the sole to see if the shoes have been worn and, if they have, it is a sign that the Archangel has used them to search on their behalf and that their prayer will be answered; if not, they take it to mean that he has not yet had the time to carry out that search!

The Unexpected Rescue

On 20th July, 1974, from the early hours of the morning, the radio was broadcasting news of the invasion of Cyprus by hostile Turkish forces. On the morning of the day after the Turkish attack, the sacristan of the church of the Archangels in Lesvos arose very early. As he put things in order in the church, he came before the full size image of the Archangel, which is located on the righthand side of the courtyard, to light the vigil candle when suddenly the sacristan stood mesmerised as if he had turned to stone. His eyes gaped as he searched for the icon of the Archangel which was missing. He was bathed in a cold sweat. His trembling hands made the sign of the Cross time after time. “But, how is it possible” he kept saying to himself “for an image two metres by one and a half, painted directly onto the wall and with a huge frame, to have disappeared?” He was still standing in the same position when the priest of the church arrived to say the daily Liturgy. He was surprised and concerned to see the look of amazement on the face of the sacristan whose eyes were glued to the same spot to which he also pointed with his hand. The priest turned to see what had so affected the sacristan and saw that, in the place of the Archangel’s icon, there was a massive brown-coloured frame. News of the event spread rapidly through the neighbouring villages and to the island’s capital, Mytilini, and there were many people who wanted to witness the miraculous event with their own eyes and to worship there. The icon was missing for a whole week. The icon suddenly reappeared in its original place, in the same miraculous way as it had disappeared.

Time went by. One cold winter morning the sacristan of Mantamados heard the galloping of a horse. He went outside and saw a young man who had just gotten down from his horse and was carrying a goat on his shoulders. They entered the church together and the young man proceeded to the Archangel’s icon and left the goat in front of it. He then lit a candle which was as tall as he was. He then knelt down and worshipped before the icon, caressing with trembling hands and eyes full of tears the clay face of the Archangel. “He is my saviour” he said passionately, turning to the sacristan. “He saved me from the Turks!” “Tell me, my boy, what happened?” asked the sacristan with interest as they walked out of the church.

“During the last incidents between the Greeks and the Turks,” began the young man, “I was carrying out my military duties in Cyprus. It was past midnight on August 12th, when we were caught unexpectedly in the firing line of the Turkish Cypriots. We were always on our guard because we knew how treacherous the enemy could be. We were having difficulties with their naval attack but were unharmed by their air force fire. Within a few hours, we had the situation under control and prepared to counter-attack. It was as if we had wings on our feet. We hunted them down and almost chased them into the sea. Full of enthusiasm, we were running towards the enemy with almost no back up. Suddenly, I see not more than five metres in front of me an unidentified shape. I stop immediately and then, in the hazy dawn light, I see clearly that it’s a Turkish machine gun! I see the barrel of the gun turning towards me and, having nowhere to hide, I fall to the ground and cover my head with my helmet. 'My Archangel!' I say to myself. 'Save me!' The moment I uttered these words I remembered my father who was miraculously saved from certain death during the Albanian war, after he promised to bring a goat to the Archangel. 'My Archangel, save me!' I murmered again, making the same promise of the offering of a goat.

"At that moment, a deafening noise almost took away my hearing. 'I’ve been shot!' I thought to myself and images of all those I loved crossed my mind. Then, I felt someone touching me, searching for me, lifting me. They were our people.

“'Are you hurt? How do you feel?' I vaguely heard them asking. I checked my body with my hands but found no wound. Then, I remembered the machine gun and looked towards where I had seen it but saw nothing. 'Right here!' I shouted. 'There was a Turkish machine gun!' We went closer and checked but did not find it. In the place where it had been located there were only shards and a huge hole in the ground.

"It seemed that at the critical moment, a ship’s bombshell or some other mortar shell had totally destroyed the dangerous machine gun, while a superior force kept me safe from any harm that the explosion or fire might cause me."

The sacristan listened carefully to the young man’s story and seemed deeply moved.

He then said: “Yes, my boy, it was the Archangel who rescued you. Just when the Turks invaded Cyprus, this icon mysteriously disappeared for a week!” The young man was stunned. He gazed tenderly at the icon of the Archangel Michael, his eyes filled with tears. It was one more “thank you” for that unexpected rescue.

Archangel Michael’s Intervention During an Operation

One of the numerous miracles of the Taxiarchi of Mantamados in Lesvos (Mitilini) is the healing of a young boy, Vasilis Karastiras from Athens, Greece. The Archangel made an apparition to that boy.

Young Vasilis was playing when he fell and injured his head very badly. He was transferred to the nearest hospital where they claimed blindness and paralysis caused by the trauma.

The hospital chief invited Vasilis’ parents in his office and said to them:

“He is in a critical condition. He needs to be in the operation room immediately, but the hopes of the operation succeeding are close to zero percentage. You have got to decide soon, before it’s too late.”

The mother thought that she was losing the ground off her feet. The father asked:

“Isn’t there any other choice, doctor?”

“I’m afraid, not” the head doctor replied.

So the father took a pen and signed the forms allowing the operation to be performed on his child. The child was taken to the operation room and while he was being prepared for the operation, according to his memory, the darkness of his eyes flew away and a bright vision took its place.

He was standing before a temple with arches and the front exterior wall of the building was made of red rocks. A blinding light was coming through the temple’s open door.

Vasilis reached the door and saw a handsome lad, bathed in light with his arms stretched. The lad was calling for the child:

“Come, Vasili, don’t be afraid, you are going to be fine. I will lead the doctor’s hands throughout the operation.”

The child approached, kneeled before the lad, embraced his legs and leaned his head over his left thigh. The lad stretched his hand to pet the child’s head.

Before the vision was gone, the little boy’s eyes caught a glimpse of a dark figure with silver wings standing inside the temple.

The operation was a success! The paralysis and the blindness were cured. The doctors said that it was a miracle! The day on the calendar was the 8th of November, the day we celebrate the Great Taxiarches.

Years went by and Vasilis was desperately trying to locate the place he had seen in his vision but all his efforts gave no fruit. That was until one day, when he recognized the temple of his vision in a television show. Deeply moved, he set off as a pilgrim to the Taxiarches Monastery, to offer his savior his tears of gratitude.

Giving Birth

The Taxiarchi's interventions in Mrs. Michailaris’ life from Elefsina are written below.

She used to be childless and so was her sister, that’s why they both turned to the Archangel Michael's assistance.

During a wake they did in honor of the Taxiarchi, Mrs. Michailari begged him to help her with her problem. At down she fell asleep. She had a dream that she was in the Archangel’s temple with her sister, when suddenly the Taxiarchi appeared in all His Glory. She immediately fell on her knees and begged Him for a child. He stretched his hand as if He wanted to assure them both and said:

“Don’t worry. You’re both going to have children. Thank God for that gift.”

Within four years, her sister gave birth to a child but she didn’t. Nine years had gone by, so she started getting desperate. She turned to science. Hard times with no results.

She was then informed that there was a doctor in England that could give one percent chance of giving birth after operating on women and she prepared her luggage for a trip to England. But she felt a conscience control. At the last minute she hesitated. She thought of turning to the Taxiarchi for enlightenment on her decisions.

She went to his temple in Mantamados and pleaded with him. On the same night and while she was praying, she saw him coming out of his icon, totally alive with a sad look upon His face like He was saying: “Why did you lose heart? Why did you lose your faith in God and your hope? Weren’t you convinced by the example of your sister?”

She immediately fell on her knees and begged for forgiveness with tears in her eyes. Then, she heard him say to her:

“You’re not going abroad. You are not going to have a child over there. Here, in your country, you are going to have a child.”

Within a month she was pregnant and she gave birth to a cute baby girl, Barbara. When the girl turned six, she took her and went to the temple to do a vigil of thanksgiving together.

The mother left her child in a little cell to sleep and she went to the church to attend the vigil. When she returned to her cell the girl was awake and said to her:

“Mom, when you where at the church the Taxiarchi was here all night and kept me company.”

Later on the faithful woman lived another miraculous proof of the Archangel’s protection. On the day the Taxiarches are celebrated, in 1989 she experienced a harsh and intense pain in her uterus. Within a short period of time it got worse. The necessary medical examinations were done and she waited for the results. The doctors talked about operation.

When she heard of that she refused to do it and started crying like a baby. She, again, turned to the Taxiarchi and prayed with faith to him so that he would again make a miracle.

Praying relaxed her troubled soul and when she went to bed she had a dream of the Virgin Mary - as a queen on her throne - and the Taxiarchi standing beside Her. They were both smiling at her.

The next morning she set off for the hospital to do the pre-operation tests.

She had too many tests and waited for the results. Then, the doctors called her and said to her that she was totally healthy and that she could go home!

She has been healthy ever since and she praises the Lord for the Archangel’s grace He has given us.

(Information in this article is extracted from the book Poetic History and Miracles of St. Michael, the Archangel of Mantamado 4th edition, authored by Fr. Efstratios Dissou, Abbot of the Monastery of the Archangels of Mantamados.)

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Miracles of the Archangel Michael in Roman Times

Miracles of the Chief-commander of the Bodiless Host, the Archangel Michael, in Roman Times

In the period after the New Testament, there are also accounts of the Archangel Michael's cures and wonders. Therefore, on this day, we call upon him as the protector of our lives, and celebrate his honored feast with the remembrance of some of his marvels.

The Church of the Archangel Michael in Sosthenion

When Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306-337) was building Constantinople, it came to pass that he constructed a church dedicated to the Archangel Michael in the surrounding suburb, known as Sosthenion. The account of how this church came to be built is curious indeed. In the outlying suburb, there was a statue of a man with wings. The great Constantine marvelled at the work and wondered what it could mean. He asked his nobles, but no one knew to whom it was dedicated. He then besought God, "Reveal to me after whom the statue was fashioned." At night, the Archangel Michael appeared to him and said, "I am the Archangel Michael, the helper of the Christians, even as I have assisted thee in thy victories over thine enemies. For this cause, do thou build a church in my name, and I shall preserve thee from all thine enemies until the end of thy life." When the emperor awoke, he immediately set about fulfilling the command of the archangel. The church he erected was huge, for which he apportioned considerable revenues. On the feast day of the archangel, Christians from the suburbs were assembling at the new church from the outlying areas. One of the faithful had a child who was deaf and dumb from his mother's womb. The father brought the lad into the church and besought the archangel to heal him. After much supplicating, the archangel hearkened to the prayer of that poor father. During the Divine Liturgy, the child was brought before the icon of the Chief-commander Michael. When the deacon was about to say, "Let us attend," followed by the priest, "The Holies for the holy," the child, instead, spoke up and said, "Let us attend." From that hour, he was healed. The father returned every year to commemorate and thank the commander of the bodiless host.

The Deliverance of Constantinople from the Perils of the Avars, Persians, and Arabs

The Avars, mounted warriors, came to capture Constantinople. They used their swords, long lances, and reflex bows that they might gain the advantage. The hierarch at that time gathered the faithful of the city, and they went to the Church of the Chief-commander Michael, where they entreated God to be delivered from captivity to the barbarians. Then, when the Avars were about to enter the city, the Archangel Michael, as a flash of lightning, appeared in their midst. Out of their intense fear, many of the Avars fell prostrate on their faces, while others took to their heels and retreated. That same night, the archangel appeared to the khan of the Avars and said, "Leave quickly with all thy host, otherwise tomorrow thou shalt die and thy soldiers with thee." The khan, terrified, that same night, departed with his entire army and returned to his own place.

At another time, the Persian armies assembled and besieged Constantinople. They encamped outside the walls and prevented food and supplies from being brought into the city. The populace was in danger of dying from starvation. Having their hopes only in God, they also brought to mind the previous miracle performed by the Archangel Michael. The people went to his church and supplicated him that he might work a miracle as before. Then on the day that the Persians decided to enter the city, as they laid their ladders against the walls, the Archangel Michael appeared to the invaders. Once again, he appeared as lightning, throwing the Persians into a panic. In the commotion created by this visitation, the Persians, in their confusion, began fighting with one another, thinking they were battling the citizens of the city. The Constantinopolitans, beholding the confounded Persians, exited the city, slaying as many as they were able.

At another time, by sea, a multitude of Arab Muslims attacked the city, the strongest citadel in the world. This occurred during the reign of Emperor Constantine IV (669-685) grandson of Herakleios. The Arabs had already ravaged the countryside in Asia Minor, dragging off inhabitants to slavery. They already held Cyprus, Rhodes, and Kos. The peninsula of Kyzikos was also seized, which was in the neighborhood of the capital, thus providing the Muslims with a base for attack. News was then heard that part of the Arab fleet had captured Smyrna and other sections. The Arabs tried again and again to take the city. Once more, the faithful flocked to the Church of the Chief-commander Michael, imploring God and His archangel for help. The archangel hearkened to their cries. He pierced and bore through the Arab ships, causing most of the marauders to die of drowning. After a five-year siege, only three ships out of the entire fleet remained, and they turned and sailed back home in 678.

The Preservation of the City of Akolia

On the Black Sea, the city of Akolia was under attack by the Saracens. They tarried long with their forces outside the city. Not being able to take the city, they decided to depart. There was, however, a certain traitor inside the city who informed against the Christians to the Saracen chief, saying, "The Christians have a church dedicated to the Chief-commander Michael. It lies by the citadel wall. It is there that they supplicate God for His help, and for this reason you cannot launch an attack." The Saracens, receiving this piece of intelligence, set about making war machines to breach the citadel wall. After they had prepared their ropes, rolling battering rams, and catapults, they readied one large boulder to thrust against the narrow church. As soon as it was catapulted, the faces of the emir and his officers, who were responsible for flinging that boulder, turned backwards. Those wretched men wasted no time loading down the camels with plenty of incense, lamps, and oil. They also took silver from the bridles of their horses and went together to the Church of the Archangel Michael. They swore among themselves that they would never come again to Akolia for many years, and that the city would come to no harm. After they had sworn this vow, their faces returned to their proper places.

The Archangel Michael at Colossae and Germia

The Archangel Michael is remembered also for the miracle he performed at Chonae, near Colossae in Phrygia. He parched the waters of the river which the infidels released against his holy shrine and Saint Hermippos. The archangel's large basilica in Chonae, decorated with mosaics, was a center of pilgrimage and great trade fairs.

Now also in Germia, a city in western Galatia, below Mount Dindymon, the Archangel Michael wrought numberless cures. In 454, the consuI of Constantinople, one Stoudios, was sick and near death. No physician could offer him a cure or any treatment. At that time, a certain man, named Goulio, who was from Germia, came to the capital. He visited the sick consul and began recounting how many miracles were taking place in Germio at the archangel's healing spring. Even the little fish, with the aid of the Archangel Michael, were effecting cures. As Stoudios listened to the accounts, he believed that God would help him.

In the company of other ill folk, Stoudios traveled to Germia. Straghtway, as he entered that holy spring, he was cured. Not only Stoudios received healing, but also his entire traveling party. One of the members was suffering from glaucoma, and he too received a swift cure for his eyes. Studios, beholding the number of miracles taking place, then resolved to most of his fortune building a great church to the archangel.

The five-aisled basilica of ashlar masonry with much sculptured decoration still survives in Galatia. He endowed the church also with revenues for its maintenance. The consul also built homes for the sick and aged. All the while, sick people kept flocking to the site of the archangel's healing waters. Having come with faith, they were leaving healed, including many blind folk who recovered their sight, and the lame who were enabled to walk.

The Cure of the Monk Markianos and the Physician

At the time of the restoration of the icons, during the reigns of Empress Theodora (842-856) and her son Emperor Michael III (842-867), there was a certain monk, named Markianos, who was living at the Monastery of the Archangel Michael inside Constantinople. Whenever Father Markianos became ill, he did not take refuge in physicians and medicines. His only recourse was to fall before the icon of the Archangel Michael, who always cured him of whatever ailed him. It happened one time that the monk became gravely ill. According to his custom, he hastened to the icon of the Archangel Michael seeking help. This time, however, the archangel wished to test him, and did not render a cure. The relatives and friends of Markianos came and reproved him for not seeking medical treatment, but he would not listen to their counsel. Unbeknownst to Markianos, they contrived among themselves that they would seek out a physician on his behalf. They found one and learned from him the proper course of treatment and received medicines appropriate to Markianos' condition. They were to administer them while Markianos was asleep. They, therefore, took the drugs and hid them in his head cushion, and waited until sleep should overtake him.

That night, instead of Father Markianos finding rest, those waiting to administer the drugs fell asleep. Father Markianos, not being able to sleep, remained wide awake. It then appeared to him that he saw the Archangel Michael exiting the holy sanctuary of the church, being escorted by two beautiftil and wondrous youths. He walked over to Father Markianos, as he lay on his pillow. Seeing the drugs, he said to the monk, "What are these?" The monk answered, "I do not know, 0 archangel." The chief-commander then said to the youths, "Take these medicines and put them under the pillow of the physician who concocted them." Markianos then observed the youths walking out of the church. The archangel then took oil from the oil lamp before his icon. He proceeded to anoint Father Markianos, who was instantly cured. Father Markianos, sensible of the healing, kept giving thanks to God.

At midnight, the priest went to the church that he might chant the Orthros Service. He found Markianos healthy and restored as before. That same morning, the priest was called to the house of the physician, who had become gravely ill during the night. The priest then recounted all that he had heard from Markianos. The physician, therefore, came to understand the cause of his sudden illness. He rose up, being supported by others, and went to the Church of the Archangel Michael. He remained there all day, lying before the icon. By evening, he was cured, but he did not return to his house or profession. He decided to remain at that church and become a monk, bequeathing all he had to that church.

This and many other miracles were wrought by the commander of the bodiless host, Michael.

Through the intercessions of Thine Archangels and all of the Celestial Host, O Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before you crying: "Deliver us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on high! "

Kontakion in the Second Tone
Chief Commanders of God; ministers of divine glory; guides for men and leadership of the Incorporeal; as Chief Commanders of the Incorporeal, plead for our welfare and for great mercy.

Above is taken from The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church - Nov. 8, pp 228-238, Trans. from Greek by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Co.

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The Archangel Michael and Constantinople: Little Known Facts

The Archangel Michael as depicted on one half of a diptych of which the other half is now lost. It likely dates to the age of Emperor Justinian (6th cent.) in Constantinople when ivory figures were in vogue. It was inspired by a classical model. The inscription, which must have been completed on the lost panel, translates, “Receive these gifts, and having learned the cause....” This may have had something to do with Imperial power.

- At Constantinople, Saint Michael the Archangel was considered the great heavenly protector and is said to have intervened in assorted battles throughout the history of the christianized Roman Empire.

- His principal sanctuary, the "Michaelion", was at Sosthenion, some fifty miles south of Constantinople. This was established by Emperor Constantine I (324 - 337) after a vision he had of the Archangel. The sick slept in this church at night to wait for a manifestation of St. Michael and many healings were given.

- Another famous church was within the walls of the city, at the thermal baths of the Emperor Arcadius (377/378-1 May 408); there the synaxis of the archangel was celebrated November 8. This feast spread over the entire Orthodox Church, with the Syrian, Armenian, and Coptic Churches also adopting it. It is currently the principal feast of St. Michael amongst Orthodox Christians. Although originating in Phrygia, its station at Constantinople was known as the "Thermae of Arcadius".

- Other feasts of St. Michael at Constantinople were: October 27, in the "Promotu" Church; June 18, in the Church of St. Julian at the Forum; and December 10, at Athaea.

- Emperor Justinian built four churches in Constantinople dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

- There were nine Roman emperors with the name Michael who all had as their patron the Archangel Michael, beginning with Emperor Michael I Rangabe (811 - 813). Michael was the second most popular name to have ever been held by the imperial throne, with Constantine being the most popular (there were eleven emperors with the name Constantine).

- When in Hagia Sophia, looking up into the splendid apse mosaic depicting the Virgin and Child; on the right is a partly damaged Archangel Gabriel mosaic. Gabriel used to face an Archangel Michael mosaic on the other side of the apse, but this is now almost entirely gone but for a few fragments. The mosaic dates from the second half of the 9th century, during the reign of Emperor Michael III (842-867) or Basil I (867-886). The figurative mosaic replaced a Cross mosaic from the Iconoclast period.

- The Emperor Issac Komnenos (1057 - 1059) poured enormous sums of gold into embellishing a shrine of the Archangel Michael which stood north of Constantinople on the Bosphorus. Rare marble and bronze fittings were taken from other buildings for the church. New splendid jewelled and enamelled icons were commissioned by Issac from Roman goldsmiths. Rare ancient images were moved to the church by Imperial decree. All this was lost in the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Perhaps two of Issac's icons of the Archangel survive today in the Treasury of St. Mark's in Venice - loot from the Imperial City.

- On a bronze door molded in Constantinople in 1076, the Archangel is depicted in the act of vanquishing the infernal dragon.

- When Michael VIII Palaeologos (1261-1282) recaptured the city from the Crusaders, he erected a bronze statue of the Archangel Michael atop a pillar at the Church of the Holy Apostles to commemorate the event, and this towered a smaller figure of the emperor holding the city in his hands. He even commemorated the Archangel by placing him on coinage.

- In 1328 a severe earthquake toppled the statue of the Archangel Michael which Michael VIII Palaeologos had set to commemorate the recapture of the capital by the Romans and the end of the Latin control.

- During the late Roman period, he was occasionally represented together with the figure of the Prophet Daniel, who symbolized salvation for the faithful. The Romans typically represented the Prophet Daniel in "orientalizing" costume, such as a square hat, boots, and a mantle with a clasp. These signs indicated that the story of Daniel took place in Babylon, at the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The presence of the Archangel Michael and the Prophet Daniel on a single pendant offered its owner protection from spiritual and physical dangers.

Icon of the Archangel Michael, Constantinople, twelfth century. Basilica di San Marco, Venice, Tresoro, inv. no. 16.

Capital with marble bust of the Archangel Michael, ca. 1250–1300. Made in Constantinople, possibly from the Monastery of the Virgin Peribleptos ("All-Seeing"), now the Sulumanastir, a mosque. The Archangel Michael, who is identified by an inscription in Greek, wears a jeweled tunic and a diadem and holds both an orb and a staff. These elements of dress and attributes of authority reflect the long-established connection between archangels, who are the guardians of heaven, and the Roman emperor. This image may have been part of the decoration of the upper section of a tomb built into a niche. It is said to have been found near the ruins of the Monastery of the Virgin Peribleptos (All-Seeing), established in the early eleventh century by the Roman Emperor Romanos III Argyros (r. 1028–34), who was buried there.

Coin minted in Constantinople depicting the Archangel Michael on one side and the Emperor Michael VIII on the other.

Gold hyperpyron of Michael VIII Palaeologos, shown (bottom left) kneeling before Christ (right), under the injunction of Archangel Michael (top left).

Late 13th Century; Museo Nationale di San Matteo, Pisa. Here we see Michael carrying a medallion of Christ in his hand. The angel also holds a scale on which we see a human soul in the balance. The demon attempts to pull the scale down but Michael uses his wand or spear to stop him. The icon is painted in early Paleologian style. The heavy modelling of the figure, flashing highlights and classical proportions of the icon place it soon after the reconquest of Constantinople by the Emperor Michael Paleologos in 1261.

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The Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Sipontus Which Occurred in 390 A.D.

By St. Dimitri Rostov

The city of Sipontus lies between the Adriatic Sea and the mountain named Garganus; it is located twelve thousand paces from the mountain. Living in this city was a wealthy man whose herds were tended on the slopes of the mountain. Once, a bull from one of his herds was lost. After a lengthy search the lord and his servants found the bull standing before the entrance of a cave on the summit of the mountain. Enraged by the labor that he had expended in the search, the rich man took a bow and a poisoned arrow and shot at his bull, hoping to kill him. However, the arrow suddenly reversed its course and wounded the shooter. Those who had accompanied him were frightened at seeing this occurrence and did not dare to approach the cave; rather, they returned to the city and informed the people of what had happened.

When the Bishop of the city heard the story, he entreated God to reveal to him the meaning of this mystery. The holy Chief Commander Michael appeared to the Bishop in a vision, telling the Bishop that he had chosen that place for himself. He explained that he guarded it, desired to visit the place frequently, and gave succor to those who prayerfully resorted there.

The Bishop announced his vision to the people, and after a three-day fast which had been ordained for all the inhabitants of the city, he went with his clergy and all the people to the mountain. Ascending it, they found in some rocks a cave with a narrow entrance. Not daring to enter, they instead offered up supplication before the entrance. Since that time the people have frequented that place, praying to God and the holy Chief Commander Michael.

Once, the unbelieving Neapolitans gathered together and fell upon the city of Sipontus without warning, hoping to take and destroy it. They struck great fear into the hearts of the citizens of Sipontus. The Bishop of the latter city ordered that the people fast for three days, eating nothing, and that they pray fervently to be delivered from the foes who were besieging them. Saint Michael appeared to the Bishop in a vision the day before the enemy planned to assault the city with all their forces, saying, "Tomorrow morning at the fourth hour of the day, instruct the citizens of your city to take up arms and sally against the enemy, and I shall come to your aid."

The Bishop awoke from sleep and revealed his vision to the people, who rejoiced exceedingly over the promised victory over their foes and were strengthened by this good hope. When the fourth hour of the day arrived, they heard great thunder. Lifting up their eyes, they beheld a great cloud descending upon Mount Garganus. There fire, smoke, and lightning appeared as once on Sinai. The thunder was so loud that it caused the entire mountain, which was covered by the cloud, to shake. The enemy, being extremely frightened at what they saw, began to flee. The citizens thus perceived that their good guardian and swift intercessor had come with his heavenly hosts to their aid, and they opened the city gates and pursued their enemies, cutting them down like grass. The holy Chief Commander Michael struck them from above with thunder and lightning as the people put them to the sword from behind. Six hundred men were killed by thunder and lightning. Having pursued them all the way to Naples, with the help of the heavenly powers they utterly defeated their foes, returning in triumph to their own city. The Neapolitans acknowledged the power of the mighty hand of the all-powerful God from that time forward and received the holy faith. As for the citizens of Sipontus, they gathered together with the Bishop and clergy and went to the mountain upon which the dread manifestation took place, wishing to render thanksgiving there to God and to their helper, the Chief Commander Michael, and to all the heavenly powers. When they had come close to the entrance of the cave, they found footprints in the marble, seemingly human, and clearly outlined as though in miry ground. They said to one another, "Lo, the holy Chief Commander Michael left here an indication of his visitation, for he was present here himself and delivered us from our enemies." Bowing down, they kissed those footprints and sang a service of thanksgiving to God, rejoicing in their guardian and intercessor. They resolved to erect there a church dedicated to the holy Chief Commander Michael. However, when they were ready to build the church, Saint Michael appeared to the Bishop once again and said, "It is not necessary for you to trouble yourselves with building a church; I will prepare a temple there for myself without your assistance. Only go there tomorrow, serve the Holy Liturgy inside, and administer the divine Mysteries to the people."

After seeing this vision, the Bishop instructed all the people to prepare themselves to receive the Communion of the Holy Mysteries, and he went with them, singing a hymn of supplication. When they arrived at the holy place where the sacred footprints were outlined in the marble, they found a small church hollowed out of the rock. It was not made in the usual manner by the hands of men; rather, it was fashioned in the form of a cave with uneven walls. The height of the ceiling varied; in one place one’s head might touch the ceiling, and in another place the ceiling could not be touched with the hand. Clearly this church was arranged in such a fashion for the instruction of men, for God desires pure hearts, not elaborate stonework. The holy table was covered with a scarlet cloth, and on it the Bishop served the Holy Liturgy, distributing the most pure Mysteries to the people. There was in the altar on the north side a trickle of pure water that was sweet, exceeding clear, and miraculous, and those who drank this water received health. The people also drank of this water after communing of the Holy Mysteries. Countless miracles were worked in that church, and every infirmity was healed through the prayers of the holy Chief Commander Michael. The Bishop erected cells alongside the church, arranging for the priests, deacons, cantors, and readers to fulfill the daily order of church services to the glory of God and in honor of the holy Chief Commander Michael.

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The Angels According to Orthodox Tradition

By Nabil Semaan

FEAST OF THE ARCHANGELS

On the 8th of November, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of Synaxis of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and the rest of the archangels. The word synaxis means the gathering of believers to celebrate a feast, or to make a remembrance of a saint. This feast also has a special meaning; it is the gathering of the humans with the angels, "their union, their gathering and standing in fear in front of the Creator."(1) Because of the fall of the devil and his angels, this feast is the celebration of the "sobriety and unity" of the rest of the angelic powers who stayed loyal to God. "We celebrate also the contribution of the angels and archangels and their help and support in the war against the dark powers and the devil."(2)

We celebrate this feast of unity between angels and humans, and this unity is not in the "life to come" at the end of times — it starts in this world: the angels direct and guard the sons of God who are struggling in this world; they are glad with every sinner returning to God; they convey prayers to God's throne. Hence, there is a common liturgical work between angels and humans. The angels offer a non-stop continuous doxology and mental worship with humans to God. They offer to the Holy Trinity the Trisagion: "With these holy powers, we sinners say the trisagion, 'Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of Sabaoth, the heavens and earth are filled with Thy glory, hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest'." They gather around the holy altar with the priest to serve with him the Liturgy.

So there is only one celebration, one feast common between humans and angels: "Angels with humans celebrate together, earthly with heavenly speak."(3) "Through Thy Cross Christ our God, the angels and humans become one church, heaven and earth are united, O Lord glory to Thee."(4) The angels are members of the Church, the body of Christ. The 8th of November is also a specific feast of Archangel Michael, going back in history in celebrating the memory of his church in Arkadia in Constantinople.

WORK OF ANGELS

From the book of Tobiah in the Old Testament, the Archangel Raphael reveals himself to Tobiah by saying: "I will not hide from you the mystery, when you were praying, you and Sarah, I was lifting your prayers to the Holy One … and now God sent me to heal your wounds … I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who lift the prayers of the saints and serve the Throne of the Holy One" (Tobiah 12:12-15). In this passage there is a description of the work of angels, which is mainly to lift the prayers of the saints and help God, and they are sent by God to humans to help them.

"And of the angels he saith, whom maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire" (Hebrew 1:7).

The word angelos is Greek and means "who is sent" or "messenger." This name is given to them by God because of the function of serving the human race to be saved: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

CREATION OF ANGELS


The Holy Scriptures do not mention exactly when the angels were created, but the Church in its holy tradition, through the writings of its holy fathers, chiefly St. John of Damascus, St. John Cassian, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Dimitri Rostov, St. Dionysios the Areopagite - all of them believe that they were created from "nothing" prior to the sensible material world and prior to humans. The angels were created by God to glorify Him and contemplate Him, "when the stars were created, all my angels were glorifying me and praising me" (Job 38:7). It is the Logos of God, Who created them because, "for by Him were all things created, that are in heavens, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).

DIVISION OF ANGELS(5)

According to St. Dionysios the Areopagite, the angels are divided into three ranks; each rank is also divided into three groups. The first rank is made up of the Seraphim, the Cherubim and Thrones. The second rank is made up of Dominions, Hosts and Powers. Finally, the third rank is made up of Principalities, Archangels and Angels. According to St. John of Damascus, each group (and rank) differs from the others in hierarchy and splendour, depending on their closeness to God.(6)

The Seraphim are the highest rank, the closest to God. Seraphim is a Hebrew word meaning "fire," and it symbolizes the heat of their love of God. The Seraphim have six wings: "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple, above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly, and one cried unto another, and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory'" (Isaiah 6:1-3).

Below the Seraphim directly there are the wise Cherubim, who are the "many-eyes" due to their unceasing contemplation (theoria) of God. The word Cherubim is Hebrew and means "abundance of wisdom;" it symbolizes perfection in knowledge of God. St. John of Damascus says that the food of angels is the contemplation of God.(7)

Directly behind the Cherubim comes the Thrones, and they are the angels on whom God rests, as their name indicates.

All these angels stand around God's throne in fear and great respect of His glory; they contemplate God and know His "energy" and not his "essence" (ousia), since they are creatures. They are in a continuous attraction (eros) and "ecstasy" to God, to the extent that they forget themselves. Every rank (and group) of angels, according to its closeness to God, partakes of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and discernment, the Spirit of power and fear of God. Furthermore, their communion with the Holy Spirit is continuous. The angels do not have the feeling of jealousy and competition between them; they all have one will, which is to serve God; the angels of the lower ranks obey in love the angels of the higher ranks as if in obedience to God.

ARCHANGELS

The angels are also a "heavenly army." Their leader and head is Archangel Michael, who is one of the seven spirits in front of God's throne. "O Holy Archangel Michael glorified, God has placed you head of their Hosts, Powers, Angels and Archangels, Dominions, and Principalities" (Exapostolarion of the feast).

The archangels, or commanders of all the angels, are seven in number. According to St. Dimitri Rostov, they are Seraphim, the closest to God. They are: Michael (Missa-iil in Hebrew), which means "Who is like God"; Gabriel (Jibra-iil in Hebrew), which means "God's power"; Raphael (Roupha-iil in Hebrew), which means "God's mercy"; Selaphiel (Salaata-iil in Hebrew), which means "prayer to God"; Uriel (Oura-iil in Hebrew), which means "God's light"; Jegudiel (Yagoud-iil in Hebrew), which means "God's glory," and Barachiel (Baraki-iil), which means "God's blessing."(8)

NATURE OF ANGELS

According to St. Dionysios the Areopagite, the angels were created as humans in the "image and likeness" of God. According to the "image" because they have an intellect (mind) that generates thoughts (ideas), and to the "likeness" because the angels are directed and attracted toward God.(9) St. John of Damascus says they are creatures limited in space and time; they have their own specific external appearance. Compared to humans, they are bodiless due to the human's "heavy body," but compared to God they have a body. "We speak about the angels as bodiless and immaterial compared to us, but in fact everything is heavy and material compared to God, to Whom nobody can be compared, because only the Divine is non-material and bodiless."(10) He continues to say that, "God created the angels according to His own image and He created them weightless and with heat" in order to be attracted to Him and to serve Him. He adds: "The angel is always in motion, he has free will, gifted with an immortal nature. This nature is intellectual, thus he has a free changing will."(11) The angels do not need a tongue or ears to communicate; they interchange thoughts, and their food is theoria.

It is also important to note that St. John of Damascus emphasizes that, "The angels are not subject to repentance because they do not have a heavy body, while humans can repent because they have a body, though it is weak." And he continues to say, "The angels are higher than humans because they are bodiless and free from the passions of the body, but they are not free from other passions because only God has absolute impassibility."(12)

St. Macarius the Great says that, "The angels have a light body and an external appearance of humans,"(13) and St. John of Damascus confirms this in saying that, "Angels take different forms when they appear to humans to convey to them the divine mysteries … if it is God's will to an angel to appear to one of the saints, the appearance he takes differs and depends on the capacity of the person to see."(14) St. Ignatius Brianchaninov confirms that "our incapability to see angels is due to our fallen human nature. Adam and Eve before the fall were participating with the angels in giving glory to God, and they were living with them … That is why the saints look forward to 'be like angels of God in the heavens' (Matthew 22:30), and the monastic rank is called an equal to the angelic rank."(15)

Finally, the place or "home" of angels is heaven, "in the third heaven where the archangels stand before the throne of God, surrounded by a countless heavenly army" (Isaiah 6; Revelation 4:5).

THE FALL OF ANGELS(16)

First of all, this event happened before the fall of man. The cause of the fall of some angels is that they rebelled against God. Their leader was one of the most beautiful Cherubim; he was gifted much more than the others in divine grace, according to the prophet Isaiah: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (Isaiah 14:12-15).

The prophet Ezekiel symbolizes the king of Tyre with the fallen Cherubim: "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, thou hast been in Eden the garden of God … Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou has been created until iniquity was found in thee … therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire … I will cast thee to the ground" (Ezekiel 28:12-18). This fall was as fast as the lightning described by the Lord Jesus Himself in the Gospel of St. Luke: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Luke 10:18).

This fallen Cherubim attracted to him a number of angels of different ranks, some from the higher ranks, and he took them with him. They were expelled from paradise, so they wandered on earth. The Archangel Michael resisted the devil rebeller and his companions, and a war happened in heaven. "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought with his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven" (Revelation 12:7-8). As St. Ignatius Brianchaninov describes it, "The devil carried with him one third of the angels and threw them on earth." Then, the Archangel Michael cried in a loud voice, "let us attend" in order not to fall with the devil and his angels. He did not dare to judge the devil, he just demanded attention and vigil once, and from that time the relation between the angels loyal to God got stronger by grace and they were not subject to evil. From that time, there is a strong war between the angels loyal to God and the devil and his angels. All the gifts that were for the demons were turned to evil. The devil was called "Satan," a Hebrew word meaning "enemy," which parallels the Greek word diabolis, which means "divider." The word demon is Greek and means "the fallen angel."

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov describes that, before the fall of Adam, the devil was wandering the sky having within him a feeling of great emptiness. God allowed him by His great compassion and mercy to enter the paradise of Eden in order to contemplate its beauty and give him a chance to repent. But he was jealous of Adam and Eve, and tried with all his force to cast them out of paradise, and succeeded in casting Adam and Eve out of paradise and even bringing them under his control. In that way the devil lost every hope of coming back to God.

From the instance of the fall of man, there is a great conflict within the human person between the angels of light and angels of darkness. The angels of light were sent by God to help the humans even from the era of the Old Testament. We see the Archangel Gabriel in charge of Israel when they left Egypt, Archangel Raphael helping Tobit, Michael sent to help Joshua the son of Nun, and arguing with the devil regarding the body of Moses. However, the devil was always trying to make humans sin, but without knowing he is doing the will of God, because every evil ends always with goodness. The devil, then, became an instrument of God's trial to men.

GLADNESS OF ANGELS(17)

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrew 1:14). St. John Chrysostom comments on this verse by saying, "Look how God loves man so that He created holy creatures to serve the man created according to His image." Humans, although heavier than angels by their body and in a state of sin, death and corruption, when they are deified become higher than the angels in divinity and holiness. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visited him? For thou hast made him a little lower than angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour" (Psalm 8:5-7). The example of this is the Theotokos, the Mother of God, who became "more honorable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim." The devil is jealous of the rank man took after the incarnation.

St. Gregory of Nyssa says, "Angels kneel in front of every man who is born again and celebrate the return of men to the original grace through the Newborn, because they are glad for every man who is saved from sin. This gladness of angels will not be complete until the second coming of Christ, for which the angels are waiting."

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL(18)

"For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Psalm 90:11). The major work of angels is to praise God, but their partial work is to guard humans and the universe that surrounds humans. The Holy Fathers mention many cases in the Old and New Testaments about angels helping humans. For example, when St. Peter was delivered from prison, it was said: "This is his angel" (Acts 12:15).

St. John Chrysostom says that "for every one of us has his angel;" St. Basil the Great adds, "Beside every believer in God, sits his angel, so repent." Finally the angel of prayer is the angel who helps us to pray. St. Clement of Alexandria says, "Even when a person prays alone, he is accompanied by angels." Tertullian commands the Christian not to sit when he prays in respect for the angel of prayer standing beside him. Archangel Raphael is one of the seven angels who "carry the prayers of the saints to God" (Tobiah 12:15). Origen writes, "Angels gather close to the person praying to be united to his prayer. Moreover, each angel contemplates the face of the Father in Heaven and prays with us and works for us for all our needs."

ROLE OF ANGELS IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

The angels have a major role in the spiritual life of each person. First of all, they convey all the spiritual gifts to the person and this according to their rank and depending on the person's spiritual stage: purification, illumination or deification. "The more we purify ourselves, the more we know God, and the more we love Him" (St. Gregory the Theologian). The spiritual person resembles the angels, as St. Gregory of Nyssa says: "The spiritual life allows the spirit to enter the world of angels." During the purification stage, "We need an angel to help us overcome our passions, since we are not perfect," according to Origen. In the illumination stage, the soul enters the angelic world, to attain finally a life of union with God.

The angels contemplate how the soul moves out of the darkness of sin to a state of illumination and grace and passes them over to the glory that the Logos granted to humanity only in His union with human nature. The angels wait for a deified person to be united to his prayer and be lifted up more towards God. That is why, "The angels wait for the death of martyrs to lead their souls to its place," says St. Gregory of Nyssa, and "they surround the martyrs on their way to God and they accompany them to the holy of holies where the Holy Trinity is in the middle of Cherubim and Seraphim," confirms St. John Chrysostom.

CONCLUSION

What prohibits us from living like angels, if the angelic life is granted for every true sincere faithful member of the Church? Many people ask why they cannot see angels, and why the angels do not help them, but they do not question if they are really free from the passions that darken the soul and the heart. The main goal is to free ourselves from passions. We must ask of God for an angel of peace, who will direct and protect our life and spirit and body.

Through the intercessions of our Holy Angels, may our God enlighten us and save us. Amen.


FOOTNOTES

1. Synaxarion

2. Ibid.

3. Liturgy of the Feast of Archangels

4. Troparion of Wednesday Orthros

5. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Homily on Angels," Periodical No. 14, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon. All quotations of the Holy Fathers from St. Ignatius are without references.

6. St. John of Damascus, "Homily on angels and demons," Periodical No. 2, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

7. Ibid.

8. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Homily on Angels," Periodical No. 14, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

9. Ibid.

10. St. John of Damascus, "Homily on angels and demons," Periodical No. 2, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Homily on Angels," Periodical No. 14, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

14. St. John of Damascus, "Homily on angels and demons," Periodical No. 2, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

15. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, "Homily on Angels," Periodical No. 14, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.

16. Ibid.

17. Taken from "Les anges et leur mission, d'apres les peres de l'Eglise," Chevetogne, Jean Danielou; Periodical No. 8, Archangel Monastery, Lebanon.

18. Periodical No. 7, Archangel Michael Monastery, Lebanon.


October 2003, (Vol. 47 No. 8) The Word, Pittsburgh, PA 15241

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Only With A Pure Heart Can One See God

By the Blessed Surgeon Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol

Every time before Christ healed someone, He asked that person if he believed. And only if he believed, He performed the miracle.

Every time a miracle occurs, the Holy Spirit acts, and for someone to receive the Holy Spirit an open heart is necessary, and it is made open by faith. Just as the reception of radio waves necessarily requires an antenna, similarly for the reception of divine grace a pure heart full of faith is needed.

Our Lord does not impose His grace on anyone. One asks for faith, hope and love and only then does the Lord give His grace: when by faith one's heart is opened before Him. This happening is a great mystery, and this mystery happened every time Christ performed miracles.

The Holy Apostle Paul says that all the essence of the gospel message is found in hope, faith and love. Consequently, it is necessary that we have a strong and steadfast faith for us to be Christians and inheritors of divine grace.

If you believe that the electron exists without seeing it, then by what right do you say that our faith in God, Who also has not been seen by anyone, is unreasonable?

I will say that we too know God by His energies; by the manifestations of His power; by how He acts in our hearts; by the grace that we feel. Not anyone can prove faith. Many have tried to prove that God exists and many that He does not exist. But never has anyone been able to prove one or the other. Only with a pure heart can one see God....

Faith is the most valuable treasure on earth and we must guard it more than anything else.

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Russian Monasticism After Communism

Interview With an Orthodox Monk on Old and New Challenges

By Antonio Gaspari

ROME, NOV. 5, 2009 (Zenit.org)

Having survived Soviet Communism, Russian Orthodox monasticism now faces the new threat of secularization as it passes through a period of testing that only time can heal.

Father Petr Mescerinov expressed these ideas as he discussed with ZENIT the new and enduring challenges of Russian monasticism. The hegumen (a title similar to abbot) of the St. Daniil Monastery of Moscow was in Italy for a conference on Eastern and Western monasticism.

Father Mescerinov is vice-director of the Center for the Spiritual Formation of Children and Adolescents of the Moscow Patriarchate.

ZENIT: How important is contemplation and action in Eastern monasticism?

Father Mescerinov: I can speak of Russian monasticism. Already from ancient times, by tradition, we have two different monastic ways connected to two Russian saints: St. Nil of Sora and St. Joseph of Volokolamsk. They were contemporaries and argued vehemently, even among themselves.

Those were very profound diatribes, rather complex disputes, and I could summarize thus, briefly, the currents that the two saints advocated: Nil of Sora defended the contemplative dimension, whereas Joseph of Volokolamsk defended the active dimension.

It cannot be said that these two aspects are in contradiction to one another, because in regard to the contemplative dimension, we see its influence also in Russian cultural life, in literature, in the rediscovery of the Church Fathers. On the other hand, if we take St. Joseph Volokolamsk's more active current, more involved with the social [realm], we can observe that with his action he did not intend to replace the state, but remained firm in his adherence to his own contemplative roots.

To conclude, we can say that there is no real contradiction between the two dimensions.

Already St. Macarius the Great said that each monk has his specific vocation, his specific activity; therefore, those who contemplate should not judge those who serve and vice versa, those who serve should not judge those given to the contemplative life, because they are profoundly linked with one another and together constitute the true Christian monastic community.

ZENIT: Who are the martyrs of Russian monasticism? How many are there?

Father Mescerinov: In regard to Russian monasticism, we can speak above all of the new martyrs of the 20th century. Many have been canonized and many others are yet to be canonized, but the massive closure of monasteries in the Soviet age attests that the monks gave their life to defend the monastic ideal.

ZENIT: In the face of the rapid and uncontrolled race of modernity, how are Russian monastic communities reacting?

Father Mescerinov: The monastic communities are reacting in two different ways. To answer this question it is necessary to keep in mind that the Russian monastic tradition was violently interrupted during the Soviet period, and because of this, Russian monasticism today is in fact looking for an answer to this question.

For the time being, no answer has been found, so there are two variants: either a radical separation and self-exclusion from the world, which is not the healthy "leaving the world," which was understood in the past when thinking of monasticism, but a maniacal way to protect oneself from the aggression of the world. [And] the second variant is linked to secularization, declaring oneself exteriorly to be a monk, but in reality one is inserted in the course of the secular life of everyone.

This moment of testing has not yet found an answer in the life of the Church. In my personal opinion, I think the community must certainly protect itself from certain phenomena of the modern world, but this protection must happen in a sober, appropriate, healthy and ecclesial way, and not in an asocial way.

ZENIT: What is the reality of these communities today?

Father Mescerinov: The principal tragedy of our ecclesial life today is the absolute lack of community. There are communities that are born in contrast to the position of the Church in a general sense; however, there are no communities as such as a norm of community life.

This is linked no doubt to the Soviet legacy, because in that period every aggregation was regarded with suspicion and in danger of being repressed; in fact, an anti-solidary instinct has been created in the very conscience of many generations of persons.

When people enter the Church today, educated according to this mentality, it is very difficult [for them] to feel and even to understand that it is a Christian community, because any form of aggregation suffers the influence of Soviet collectivism, whereas the Christian community and Soviet collectivism are two things that have nothing to do with one another.

Because of this, Russians today do not have a predisposition to community life, and this is also reflected in monastic life. We do not have true communities and our own monastic communities; we have formally organized monasteries, there are some monks, some individuals alone with a straight and sincere vocation, but they are not able to insert themselves well in the community.

This is no doubt a task for the future, or perhaps our ecclesial and social life has arrived at a point of no return in which it is practically impossible to return to genuine solidarity. But the future will show this.

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An Apology For Triple Immersion In Baptism

I was made aware by the website OrthodoxHistory.org of a book titled A History of the Modes of Christian Baptism written by James Chrystal, a convert to Orthodoxy from Episcopalianism. It was written in 1861 and in the Preface, Chrystal himself described the book as “an apology for the belief of the early Church, that Christ enjoined triune immersion.” Chrystal argued that sprinkling – the form of baptism practiced by both Roman Catholics and Anglicans – was insufficient and contrary to Christ’s teaching. The Orthodox Church, he concluded, had alone preserved the correct practice. He had come to this conclusion while still an Episcopalian.

Eventually Chrystal travelled to Greece and received this correct baptism, but his life became pretty sketchy as far as other elements of dogmatic affiliation with Orthodoxy are concerned. You can read about that here. But this does not take away from the significance of the text on baptism above.

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Why Evangelicals Turn to the Church Fathers

Because of their mutual commitment to Scripture, says Robert Louis Wilken, evangelicals and the church fathers have a natural affinity.

by David Neff November 4, 2009
Christian History Blog

On October 29, the nation's attention was focused on Yankee Stadium and game two of the World Series. But at Wheaton College, several hundred people chose instead to crowd into Barrows Auditorium to mark the public beginning of the Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies.

Robert Louis Wilken, professor emeritus at the University of Virginia, promised baseball fans he'd keep the Center’s inaugural lecture brief. In his short address, he dashed through the church fathers’ approach to interpreting Scripture, touching the bases at Isaiah 6, Matthew 5, and Job 14, before coming home with key insights on patristic exegesis.

In addition to relating the Fathers’ comments on these passages, Wilken explored why evangelical Protestants in particular should pay attention to writers like Gregory the Great, Augustine, John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa, and why evangelicals are indeed beginning to realize “that the early heritage is theirs also.”

The large majority of Wilken’s graduate students over the past ten years have been evangelicals, he said. The success of the ambitious Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (InterVarsity Press) testifies to such interest as well. Now the opening of the Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies institutionalizes that interest—and in a first-rate location. .

First, Wilken posed the question, Why this renewed interest?

Precisely because evangelical theology and spirituality are built around Scripture, and so were those of the patristic writers. You cannot read them without an open Bible in your hand. Their writings are shot through with Scripture. Evangelicals and the church fathers thus have a natural affinity.

Second, Wilken asked whether giving some priority to these early interpreters of Scripture isn’t at cross-purposes with the evangelical principle of scriptural perspicacity. Evangelicals have long taught that the meaning of Scripture is open to every Spirit-led reader, and that biblical interpretation must not be held hostage by church tradition. Isn’t the Bible intelligible without the Fathers?

Yes, of course, in a sense it is. But the Fathers help us go more deeply into the Bible, Wilken said. They teach us to read it more slowly and enter it more deeply. He illustrated this by looking at several passages through their eyes, showing the way in which they treated the Bible as a single, coherent book in which difficult passages are illuminated by other passages. Indeed, those other texts raise the questions that lead us deeper.

Thus Isaiah‘s report in chapter 6 that the prophet “saw God” is clearly in tension with passages (such as John 1:18) that suggest no human has seen, or even can see, God. The key, however, is found in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” By mining the notions in that passage, the Fathers were able, not only to explain in what sense some might “see God,” but also to point the way toward the ideal Christian life. Thus to see God is to be united to him through purity of life. Understand, said Wilken, that the Bible is not primarily about the head; it is about the heart.

Third, Wilken reminded us, the patristic writers were the best minds of their day. From their engagement with Scripture, they forged the language with which we express the Christian faith. To ignore their reading of Scripture is also to undercut the foundations upon which the great creeds were built.

* * *

The Fathers are replete with interpretations that diverge from the plain meaning of the text. This makes modern evangelicals nervous—though as Robert Webber has argued, because this approach is rich with imagery, it should have greater appeal to postmodern evangelicals. We have many ways of knowing, and imagistic thinking has been marginalized in some streams of evangelical theology.

Wilken made several key points about the Fathers’ nonliteral and image-laden reading of the Bible.

1. The New Testament authors clearly applied Old Testament texts in ways that departed seriously from the plain, surface meaning of the text. When Paul cites Psalm 19 in Romans 10 (“their voice is gone out into all the world”), he applies the Psalmist’s statement about the heavens to the preaching of the apostles. This runs against the plain meaning, said Wilken.

2. The books of Scripture do not bear their own significance. They must be united to something greater, which is Christ. Thus Paul interprets the creation of man and woman as a great mystery, which is Christ and the church; and he interprets the water-giving rock in the Sinai desert as Christ.

3. Typically, such creative renderings of the Bible are focused on the Old Testament. That is because the Old Testament text signifies Christ, but the New Testament text does not signify another Christ. It requires no allegory or analogy to reveal the Incarnate Word.

4. The Fathers also understood the interpretation of Scripture to require the reader’s participation in the spiritual reality of the text. Thus it is not enough to say that Christ was crucified. We must also say, “I am crucified with Christ,” and thus also I am raised with Christ.

* * *

All of this is new territory for many evangelical Protestants. It involves an ancient way of reading texts that is at odds with contemporary methods being taught in the classrooms of Christian colleges. Students will feel at first that the Fathers’ method places no limits on allegorical fantasy.

It will take some time for this kind of reading to take its place alongside our linguistic and historical approaches. Neither approach needs to edge out the other. But if we do not make an effort to imbibe the spirit of the church’s first interpreters, we can easily miss something close to the heart of Christian faith.

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Elder Joseph the Cypriot - An Example of Humility

We knew such a light-hearted Geronta (Spiritual Father), simple, humble, with great faith in Christ and the Panagia (Virgin Mary). He was from Rizokarpaso in today Turkish-occupied Cyprus and came to Mount Athos, at the time when it was also occupied by the Turks. He passed away twelve years ago at the age of one hundred and six. He was on Mount Athos for eighty-six years. He left the Mountain only once or twice, to go to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. For eighty-six years he did not eat meat. For eighty-six years he did not see a woman. For twenty-five years he did not wash his plate. He was very healthy, temperate, smart, and kind. When he was one hundred and three years old he went up the roof of his cell to fix the tiles. "The Virgin Mary sends me everything I want", he said. "I have the icon of the Panagia Oikonomissa, and Her All-Holiness takes care of me. There, just now I wanted water and you came to bring it to me."

Once two young friends who were newly married came from Athens and asked me if there are still Spiritual Fathers (Gerontes) on Mount Athos like the ones found in the books Gerontikon and Philokalia. There are, I said, and I took them to the Geronta, monk Joseph the Cypriot. He was then one hundred and five years old. He was lying down and making a prayer. "These gentlemen", I said, "are from Athens and wanted to get your blessing". I saw that he had no wish for conversation. After exchanging two to three words, he made the sign for us to go. Upon leaving the men said to the Geronta: "Geronta, we have many problems, please pray for us". "I will pray", he answered, "but I want money in order for me to pray for you". Upon hearing these words I felt so ashamed, I was lost, I did not know what to say. I attempted to justify his reaction. I wondered why he did this. They went to a holy man and he asked for money in order to pray for them? This man who hardly knew the value of money and never gave it much importance? The men left and I felt so sad about what happened. The next day I went to see him, and he said to me: "Father Moses we did not gather virtue together. Do not bring people to see me in order for them to honor me. I asked God to honor me in the next life, not in this fake one". I was surprised. He belittled himself in front of his guests by seeking money, which he never had and never loved, he made me feel ashamed. How could I dare take people to him again? He spoiled his image as a great ascetic. He destroyed his façade. Which one of us can do such a thing? He was humble. Above scandal. He only cared about what God would say about him, not people. When I told this to those friends, they were left speechless.

From the book The Talking Silence by Monk Moses of Mount Athos.

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"Spiritual Invocation" by Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis

Blessed Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis (1886-1983) was for forty years Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou at Mount Athos. He has been called "the abbot of abbots of the twentieth century", and "a great man of Greece and of the Orthodox Faith".

Dr. Constantine Cavarnos, who has written the only existing book in English on this significant elder whom he knew personally, characterizes Elder Gabriel as a "remarkable confessor and spiritual guide, a profound analyst of twentieth century society, and an inspiring writer on many vital topics". Below is a piece he wrote in 1965 and is just one of many examples in which his wisdom is manifested, offered here on the anniversary of his falling asleep which occurred on November 6, 1983.

Spiritual Invocation

by Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis

So many years have passed and we still cannot forget the horror of the Second World War and the foreign occupation [Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy]. What can we remember first? The fear and terror of the barbarian conquerors? The bombarding or the hunger? The hundreds of thousands in Greece who were killed or died of starvation? Remembrance of these things chills the blood of man.

But we will say: Glory be to God, all these things are now past; let us no longer recall them. Yet, without our wanting it, they come back to our mind, because we see the "signs of the times", and we understand that these things that have passed are "the beginning of pains".

Now we read of the "seats of fire" that exist at so many places of our planet. We see the conflict of ideas, which divide the world into mutually hating parts, the haste for the production and storing of fearful nuclear weapons. And we ask: For what are all these things? What will be the end result? Alas...war! Yes, a war incomparably more destructive than the last one. And why? What is the cause? The Apostle answers and says: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Thus, sin is the cause of every catastrophe. Without doubt, the cause are the multiform sins that prevail everywhere - sins in the form of moral decline, of arrogant science and arrogant technological development.

Progress and development are good, but without ideals they do not benefit. What is needed above all is spiritual progress, if man is to live well and become happy. The greatest achievement that mankind could offer would be to approach God and attain union with Him.

Now, however, the withdrawal of men from the Creator is beyond dispute and manifest. It is sufficient that we glance at the whole world and we will be convinced of this. Unbelief prevails, materialism, division, indifference, moral crumbling, and in general spiritual decline. What then? "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured by the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (Isaiah 1:19-20).

These are great truths which have been proclaimed at various times by men of God, Prophets and Saints illuminated by Him, in order that we might know them and come to our senses, and through repentance be delivered from the wrath of God. There are many books that inform us about these truths - the Old Testament, the Holy Gospels, the Book of Revelation of Saint John the Theologian, and other, later works of holy men....

The Book of Revelation says that one third of mankind on the earth will perish.... There will survive the "spiritual men", the "elect" - those who have not been carried away by the current of unbelief and the rest of the sins of our age. Those will survive who have "their hearts lifted up to God", and have patiently endured the temptations and the sorrows of the time. Also, those who have repented, who have sought refuge in the mercy of God will be saved, according to the word of God.

For this reason it is necessary that our spiritual condition be improved and renewed. There must be a total turn to God by all of us. The one-sided progress of science and technology will not benefit us. We see clearly that we have surpassed in arrogance and folly those who undertook to build the Tower of Babel. We fly into space and want to reach the stars, while heaviness of souls nails us down to the earth. There is unimaginable waste of money for our self-destruction, while there is incalculable misery in the world!.... Besides the fearful diseases that scourge people, one third of mankind lives in a state of continuous hunger! How long will God forgive this foolishness and total lack of love?

Beloved brethren, let us not be intoxicated by the rapid advances in technology and scientific dicscoveries. Let us instead be sorrowful for the "impending wrath of God", and let each one of us work, wherever he may happen to be, for the salvation of his soul and the benefit of his neighbor, entreating God to "waive from us His wrath", as He did for the city of Ninevah at the time of Jonas the Prophet. Only the return to God, faith in Him, and love amongst us, will save us.

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