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St. John Chrysostom

17 Hator · 26 Nov

This day also marks the commemoration of the relocation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom (Of the Golden Mouth), from the city of Cuma, where he departed to the city of Constantinople, in the year 437 A.D., with honor and respect befitting him

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This day also marks the commemoration of the relocation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom (Of the Golden Mouth), from the city of Cuma, where he departed to the city of Constantinople, in the year 437 A.D., with honor and respect befitting him. They laid him in the church of the holy Apostles, and this was during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II. Empress Eudoxia, the wife of Emperor Arcadius, had exiled St. John, for he prevented her from attending the church and partaking from the Holy Mysteries, because she took by force a garden owned by a widow, and for other reasons. God avenged because of the Empress' evil deeds; she became sick and spent large sums of money. The Saint had departed in his exile and the Empress went to his tomb, wept, and asked his forgiveness. She was healed. The biography of the Saint is under the 17th day of Hatour. May his prayer be with us. Amen.

3. The Commemoration of the Appearance of a Cross of light above Golgotha. On this day also, of the year 351 A.D., during the time of St. Kyrillos (Cyril), Patriarch of Jerusalem, and during the reign of Emperor Constantius, the sign of the honorable Cross appeared in the sky at the third hour of the day. The sign of the cross was surrounded with a light which exceeded the light of the sun, covering the area above Jerusalem, from Golgotha to the mount of Olive.

All those who were in Jerusalem saw it, and they all rushed to the church of the resurrection, and were astonished and overwhelmed from the greatness of the sign. Many believed at that time. The Patriarch wrote to Emperor Constantius saying: "In the days of your blessed father, the sign of the Cross made of stars, appeared in the middle of the sky, and in your days, the sign of the Cross appeared also surrounded with great light. He forbade him from following the heresy of Arius.

He also made this day a memorial in Jerusalem and one of the feasts celebrated there, and all other churches followed this tradition until today. For through the Cross we received the Salvation, and it is our armor against all our enemies if we armored ourselves with it in a strong faith. May the blessing of the Cross be with us. Amen.

4. The Departure of Pope Mark the Seventh, the 106th. Patriarch of Alexandria. On this day also, of the year 1485 A.M. (May 18th., 1769 A.D.), Pope Mark the Seventh, the one-hundred and sixth Patriarch of Alexandria, departed. He was from the city of Klosna, in the district of El-Bahnasa. His name was Simeon, and he went to the monastery of St. Antonios at a young age. He stayed there for a time and visited often the monastery of St. Paul in mount Nimra, where he became a monk and was ordained a priest. When Pope Yoannis the Seventeenth (The 105th.

Patriarch) departed, he was chosen to succeed him on the Patriarchal Chair. They brought him from the monastery and ordained him Patriarch on Sunday, the 24th day of Bashans, 1461 A.M. (May 30th., 1745 A.D.) on the day of the feast of the entry of the Lord Jesus to Egypt. This Pope was kind, with a very beautiful voice, and was very fluent in speech. After two years of his enthronement, there was a mutiny among the soldiers. Many of the princes were killed, some escaped to upper Egypt, and some escaped to the Arabian Peninsula. The Pope suffered a great deal in these days, from inside the church and from outside.

God removed these tribulations after it had lingered for a time. This pope ordained Abba Peter, a Metropolitan over Upper Egypt, to shepherd his flock from the snatching wolves. At the end of his days, Abba Yoannis the 14h., Metropolitan of Ethiopia the 103rd., departed. A delegation was sent by the king of Ethiopia, came to the Pope asking to ordain a Metropolitan for them. The Pope ordained Abba Yousab the 4th., six months before his departure, and Abba Yousab left Egypt to his Chair in Ethiopia, after the departure of Pope Mark.

He departed when he was residing in the church of the virgin, in the monastery known as Adawiyya, in El-Maadi near Cairo. Before he delivered up his soul, he saw St. Antonios and St. Paula at the second hour of Thursday. The church was celebrating the feast of St. Demiana, the commemoration of Archangel Michael, and the departure of St. John Chrysostom. Right after his departure, they took his body by a boat to the monastery of St. George, and placed it in the convent under the shrine. On Friday, the 13th.

of Bashans, Metropolitan Yousab of Ethiopia, Abba Peter bishop of Upper Egypt, and all the archpriests, priests, deacons, and lay leaders washed the face of the departed Pope: his hands and his feet with rose water. They prepared him with precious spices, put on him his priestly clothing, and placed him in a coffin. They carried him in a procession to the church of St. Marcurius (Abu Saifain), where they prayed over him as befitting his honor and buried him in the tomb of the Patriarchs.

He stayed on the Patriarchal Chair for twenty-three years, eleven months and eighteen days, and the Chair was vacant five months and five days after his departure. He was a contemporary to El-Sultans Mahmoud I, Osman III, and Moustafa III. May his prayers be with us. Amen.

5. The Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Master (Moallem) Malati. On this day also, of the year 1519 A.M. (May 19th., 1803 A.D.), the church commemorates the martyrdom of Master (Moallem) Malati. He was a scribe to Ayyoub Beck El-Defterdar, of the Mamaliks of Mohammed Beck Abu El-Dahab. When the French occupied Egypt, they formed a department to look after national problems, and made Moallem Malati a general manager to it with the consent of the Christian and Moslem members, for his great managerial ability and wisdom.

After the French had been driven out of Egypt, Moallem Gergis El-Gawhary, Moallem Wasef, and Moallem Malati were protected by the rulers of Egypt. However, in a disturbance at the time of Taher Pasha,the governor of Egypt, they arrested Moallem Malati, and cut off his head at Bab Zoweila in Cairo, and he received the crown of martyrdom. May his intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen

Hymn

This hymn is a best-effort translation provided for meaning — not the original poetic text, and its wording may differ from the original.

1. Open my mouth with rejoicing to our God,
and praise a noble saint, Emmanuel.
2. Born in Antioch was John Chrysostom,
servant of the loving Lord; this man of bounty.
3. Of a rich and esteemed father, John Chrysostom,
who worshipped the holy Lord, whose name was Secundus.
4. And his mother was Anthousa, John Chrysostom,
guarded for the Lord, pure and beloved.
5. His parents raised him, John Chrysostom,
in the manners of the Church they nurtured him, an upbringing pleasing to his Master.
6. And our father set out, John Chrysostom,
and studied there, to the city of Athens.
7. The wisdom of the Greeks, John Chrysostom,
for the Redeemer of mankind, and he embraced the monastic life wholly.
8. And he had a friend, John Chrysostom,
who took up the monastic life before him, the gentle one, called Basil the friend.
9. So their inclinations were akin, John Chrysostom,
virtues in their hearts, and they practiced them for their Lord.
10. And when his mother died, John Chrysostom,
with love he distributed it, leaving nothing of what she had left behind.
11. Upon the poor brethren, John Chrysostom,
there remained for him a treasure in heaven, and to the needy in purity.
12. And he walked, O witness, John Chrysostom,
for our God, the Lord of His servants, in asceticism and striving.
13. And there was at the monastery a saint, John Chrysostom,
a Syrian by race, a superior, a worshipper, pure, a recluse.
14. His name was Anthosenius, John Chrysostom,
and John and Peter, and the servant of the Holy One beheld.
15. They entered upon him in a dream, John Chrysostom,
a Gospel, and said in peace, and handed it to him with care.
16. "Fear not him whom you bind, John Chrysostom,
and whomever you loose is loosed, he is bound by his name."
17. So the recluse elder knew, John Chrysostom,
that he would become a shepherd and a chief, that this saint.
18. And the grace of God his Lord, John Chrysostom,
and His Spirit rested upon him, was poured into his heart.
19. So this skilled one composed, John Chrysostom,
and became brilliant in interpretation, sermons and discourses.
20. Pope Meletius, his father, John Chrysostom,
to serve the altar of God, elevated him to deacon.
21. And Saint Flavian, John Chrysostom,
by the guidance of an angel of God, made him one of the priests.
22. When Nectarius reposed, John Chrysostom,
King Arcadius brought him, the beloved patriarch.
23. He presented him as patriarch, John Chrysostom,
an apostolic conduct in his asceticism, and he walked with his heart.
24. The empress Eudoxia, John Chrysostom,
a pious widow, she seized in zeal.
25. To the saint she complained of her, John Chrysostom,
and he asked for it to be returned from her, so he went and admonished her.
26. And when the maiden would not obey, John Chrysostom,
this accepted one of the Church, he forbade her entrance.
27. And he forbade her, as he was able, John Chrysostom,
from the Body and Blood of the Judge, from partaking of the Communion.
28. So she decreed his exile, John Chrysostom,
yet his Lord was not silent, and his banishment from his city.
29. For all the people were stirred, John Chrysostom,
seeking the return of the father, and thronged together in love.
30. A great earthquake occurred, John Chrysostom,
and the fortified palaces, it nearly destroyed the city.
31. So they said, "This is wrath, John Chrysostom,
for the exile of this father, from heaven it has come due."
32. So they brought back the blessed father, John Chrysostom,
but the proud Satan, and sorrow turned into joy.
33. He seized an occasion in his preaching, John Chrysostom,
and again he commanded his exile, and stirred up his enemy against him.
34. And there in Comana, John Chrysostom,
and he reposed in the presence of the One who redeemed us, our father's health declined.
35. And in the days of Theodosius, John Chrysostom,
his guarded body was translated, the son of King Arcadius.
36. To Constantinople, John Chrysostom,
in the church named for him, and it was laid, that of virginity.
37. Signs appeared from his body, John Chrysostom,
granting the believer steadfastness, wonders and miracles.
38. May his prayers be with us, John Chrysostom,
to the Lord, that He may accept us, his intercession lift us up.
39. O guide of souls, John Chrysostom,
Axios, Axios, we say to you, Axios.
40. The meaning of your name in the mouths, John Chrysostom,
all say, O God, of all the believers.
Saint John, help us all