On the Sunday of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod (St. Neophytos the Recluse)

 Catechesis 15

On the Holy Fathers of the Synod of Nicaea and
On the Orthodox Faith Which They Dogmatized and
That Right Faith is Needed as Well as Right Life

By St. Neophytos the Recluse

Today is a feast between two bright and saving feasts [the Ascension and Pentecost]. Today, between two great festivals that reach to heaven, the multi-luminous stars make their appearance. Today, between the two chariots whose path leads to heaven, three hundred and eighteen charioteers have appeared, not of course to direct these two steered chariots, but to direct those who do not believe and have mounted the chariots, to lead them towards faith, since the one chariot lifted from earth towards the heavenly arches with the flesh-bearing God the Word from the earth to the bosom of the Father, while the other chariot is the "the other Comforter" (Jn. 14:16) instead of Christ who ascended, which He sent down from heaven "like the blowing of a violent wind" (Acts 2:2), that the words of Christ may be fulfilled when He said "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (Jn. 16:7-8).

Miracles of Saint Theosebios of Arsinoe

 

 

By St. Neophytos the Recluse

The deaf man and another who was blind

Some time later, two people were walking along the road, one of whom was deaf and was holding the hand of the other, who was blind. The blind man heard wonderful hymn-singing and joyful, melodic voices and said to the deaf man: "If only you could hear the melodic hymns that I can, brother. And I wish I could see the form of the wonderful singers." The latter said he could just about hear, very faintly, some of the singing. They left the road and made their way to the place where the sound was coming from. As they were walking along, the ears of the deaf man opened completely and he could hear clearly the sublime and wonderful melody. When they got to the Church of Saint Theosebios, they didn’t see any singer, because it was angels who were praising God and, with this miracle, they made manifest the Saint. This is how the deaf man could hear plainly and the blind man was able to see again clearly. Astonished at this strange miracle, they worshiped and praised God and reverenced His servant Saint Theosebios.

Synaxarion of the Finding of the Relics of the Venerable Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus

 

 

On this day (28th of September) we commemorate the Finding of the Relics of Venerable Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus.

Verses

The faithful removed the dust from you Neophytos,

Indicating that you live, having passed over to another place.

 

Synaxarion

 

He, who due to his love for God, forsook his homeland, parents and every worldly pleasure, to follow Christ and was now found worthy to attain every virtue by divine grace, so that his all-revered relic was venerated by the pious, which granted healings to those who kiss it with faith, and which was hidden, became manifested again after 550 years, at the Monastery of Enkleistra where he lived, which was named after him, having lived as a recluse in a cave next to it for 50 years, in which he followed the path of asceticism.

 

Encomium to the Divine Archangel Michael the All-Greatest (St. Neophytos the Recluse)

By St. Neophytos the Recluse

Michael the all-greatest and great taxiarch, Michael the one radiant like a torch and wholly-shining like the sun, Michael the taxiarch of the heavens, the helper of men, I have desired to hymn, as much as is possible, he who is the head and leader of the bodiless powers, the great glory of men and the muzzling of demons, the blooming and shady tree of the vault of the heavens, the most-sacred and great healer of earthly evils, the great and most-speedy eagle of the "Great King", who with faith hastens speedily throughout the world, the wondrous and fiery pillar that reaches heaven, the highest and heavy-laden branch of the cedar, the unfading and chosen branch, the divine bush, which surpasses every fragrance, he who relieves those suffering from demonic stench, the sheltering branch and God-planted root, who makes to disappear immediately the burning of the demons, the divine cypress and the tall plane tree, which, for those under its shade, heals those from various afflictions and incurable passions. Now, let us praise him, praises from we who are small for him who is all-greatest, and having offered a few words of praise, we will offer up salutations. The divine, holy and honored temple which resembles a harbor of salvation and the sky with many stars, a dwelling-place of divine angels, and an ax and sword which rends all forms of passions and a perfect hospital, which ceases the pains of various forms of afflictions.

Saint Neophytos the Recluse Resource Page

St. Neophytos the Recluse (Feast Days -Sept. 28, Jan. 24 and Apr. 12)

   

Saint Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus (+ 1219)  

 

Saint Neophytos the Recluse as a Model for our Lives 

 

Holy Theosemia (The Miraculous Rescue of Saint Neophytos the Recluse)

 

Synaxarion of the Finding of the Relics of the Venerable Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus

 

Homily on the Immaculate and Divine Nativity of Our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ (St. Neophytos the Recluse) 

  

On the Sunday of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod (St. Neophytos the Recluse)

 

Encomium to the Twelve Apostles (St. Neophytos the Recluse)

 

Encomium to the Divine Archangel Michael the All-Greatest (St. Neophytos the Recluse)  

Encomium to the Holy Great Martyr Mamas (St. Neophytos the Recluse)

  

Why St. Neophytos the Recluse Wrote His "Hexaemeron" ("Six-Days of Creation")

  

Miracles of Saint Theosebios of Arsinoe 

  

Writings of Saint Neophytos Presented At Conference

 

Holy Theosemia (The Miraculous Rescue of Saint Neophytos the Recluse)

On January 24th we commemorate a feast established by Saint Neophytos the Recluse, called Theosemia, which is translated as Sign of God, that commemorates an event in his own life. The event took place in 1198 when he was moving to his second cell high up a cliff called New Zion, when through divine aid he was saved from a premature death by a rock and a cliff that an evil demon engineered against him, but the most-merciful God, who has power over life and death, cast the rock aside and rescued him. This resulted in him establishing an annual feast beginning in 1199 that he kept on the date of its occurrence, January 24th, for which he composed prayers and a divine office in a book titled Theosemia.

Saint Neophytos the Recluse as a Model for our Lives

Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Saint Neophytos was born in Lefkara of Cyprus in 1134. His parents were poor, but pious and virtuous. They had eight children, to which, due to their economic situation, they were not able to give any other education except that of piety. Saint Neophytos however, due to his great love of learning, learned letters at the Holy Monastery of his repentance, and even became an author. At the age of seventeen or eighteen his parents arranged for his engagement to be married, as was the custom at the time. Ultimately, however, they succumbed to his insistence and allowed him to be free to become a monk at the Monastery of Saint John Chrysostom at Koutzoventi.