Prophet Zechariah as a Model for our Lives

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

The Prophet Zechariah, whose name means "the Lord has remembered", is one of the so-called Twelve Lesser Prophets, the eleventh among them. Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, and Iddo was his grandfather. He lived in the sixth century before Christ, and was from a priestly tribe. During the period of the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity to their homeland, the presence of the Prophet Zechariah was a blessing. God sent him to help them, that is to give them courage, to support them, to comfort them, and to keep them firm in the faith of their fathers. They called him a preacher of hope. Together with his contemporary the Prophet Haggai he was a member of the Great Synagogue, which defined the canon of the Old Testament books.

Chapel of the Prophet Zechariah in Kos

On the island of Kos, after the Asklepion, is the region of Agios Vasilios, where a stone chapel dedicated to the Prophet Zechariah is located. The consecration of this chapel took place on February 7, 2016 by Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros, and it was built in memory of Zacharias Gerasklis. It belongs to the Parish of Saint Athanasios Plataniou.

The Finding of the Relics of Zechariah the Prophet

Finding of the Relics of the Prophet Zacharias (Feast Day - February 11)

Verses

Dead Zechariah was manifested in the earth,
Bounteously gushing forth living grace for the faithful.

By Sozomen the Historian

I shall first speak of the relics of the prophet. Caphar-Zechariah is a village of the territory of Eleutheropolis, a city of Palestine. The land of this district was cultivated by Calemerus, a serf; he was well disposed to the owner, but hard, discontented, and unjust towards his neighboring peasants. Although he possessed these defects of character, the prophet stood by him in a dream, and manifested himself. Pointing out a particular garden, he said to him, “Go, dig in that garden at the distance of two cubits from the hedge of the garden by the road leading to the city of Bitheribis. You will there find two coffins, the inner one of wood, the other of lead. Beside the coffins you will see a glass vessel full of water, and two serpents of moderate size, but tame, and perfectly innoxious, so that they seem to be used to being handled.”

Synaxarion of the Holy Prophet Zechariah the Sickle-Seer

On the eighth day of this month [February], we commemorate the Holy Prophet Zechariah.

Verses

You beheld intelligent angels as horses Zechariah,

Who raised you towards Heaven without a cavalry.

The name of the Prophet Zechariah means "God has remembered". He was an Israelite of the tribe of Levi and was born in Galaad. After the Babylonian captivity of the Jews he returned to Jerusalem as an old man. While in Babylon, he told many prophecies to the people of God, and gave many marvels and signs, in order to prove the truthfulness of his prophecies.

Prophet Zechariah the Sickle-Seer

Prophet Zachariah the Sickle-Seer (Feast Day - February 8)

The Prophet Zachariah the Sickle-Seer is the eleventh of the twelve Minor Prophets. He was descended from the tribe of Levi, and seems to have been a priest (Nehemiah 12:4, 16). He was called to prophetic service at a young age and became, in the wondrous expression of church hymnology, "a spectator of supra-worldly visions."

The Book of the Prophet Zachariah contains inspired details about the coming of the Messiah (Zach 6:12); about the last days of the Savior's earthly life with the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem on a young donkey (Zach 9:9); about the betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver and the purchase of the potter's field with them (Zach 11:12-13); about the piercing of the Savior's side (Zach 12:10); about the scattering of the apostles from the Garden of Gethsemane (Zach 13:7); about the eclipse of the sun at the time of the Crucifixion (Zach 14:6-7).

"Enlightened by dawnings all above," the Prophet Zachariah, "saw the future as it were the present." According to Tradition, this "most true God-proclaimer" lived to old age and was buried near Jerusalem, beside his illustrious contemporary and companion, the Prophet Haggai (December 16). The title "Sickle-Seer" given Zachariah comes from a vision in which he saw a sickle flying in the air, destroying thieves and perjurors (Zach 5:1-3).

The holy Prophet Zachariah died around 520 B.C. His tomb was discovered in 415 under the Emperor Honorius in a village near Eleutheropolis (Sozomen, Hist. Eccles. VI:32, IX:17). The Prophet appeared in a dream to a certain Calemerus, telling him where he would find his tomb. His body was found to be incorrupt (Eccl. Hist., Book IX, 17). At the prophet's feet was the body of a child dressed in royal accoutrements. His holy relics were transferred to the church of St James the Brother of the Lord (October 23) in Constantinople.

Source

Apolytikion in the Second Tone
As we celebrate the memory of Thy Prophet Zachariah, O Lord, through him we beseech Thee to save our souls.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As a brightly-shining lamp that was illumined with the Spirit's fiery beams, O Zachariah most renowned, thou didst prefigure with clarity the Savior's great and untold condescension toward us.