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Translation of the relics of St. Nicholas (Velimirovich) of Ochrid and Zhicha from America to SerbiaOn 5/18 March 1956, Bishop Nicholas fell asleep in the Lord, Whom he had served throughout his life. He was found in his room kneeling in an attitude of prayer. Though he was buried at St Sava Monastery in Libertyville outside Chicago, he had always expressed a desire to be buried in his homeland. In April of 1991, his relics were transferred to the Cetinje Monastery in Lelich. There, he was buried next to his friend and disciple Fr Justin Popovich (+1979). On 19 May 2003, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church recognised Bishop Nicholas Velimirović of Ochrid and Zhicha as a saint and entered his name into the church calendar. Our Holy Father Theodore TrichinasA citizen of Constantinople, he was the son of wealthy parents. He left parents, home and riches while still a young man and settled in a remote monastery in Thrace, where he undertook the most rigorous ascetic life. He slept on a stone so that he might have less sleep; he was always bareheaded and dressed in a hair-shirt, from which he was called 'Trichinas' or 'hairy'. Because of his great and self-inflicted sufferings for the sake of his soul's salvation, God granted him the gift of working miracles, both in his lifetime and after his death, and he died peacefully in about 400. Healing myrrh flowed from his relics. Our Holy Father Anastasius of Mount SinaiHe was abbot of Mount Sinai. He was for a long time a monk under the famous abbot, St John of the Ladder, whom he succeeded on the latter's death. He was also a great ascetic, and an eloquent narrator of the lives of the saints and the author of other instructive works. He fought an intensive battle against the heresy of the Acephalites, which was condemned by the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon. He died in great old age in 685, and went to the Lord whom he had served so faithfully.
Blessed Anastasius the Sinaite, Patriarch of AntiochHe was chosen as Patriarch of Antioch in the reign of the Emperor Justinian while still a monk on Mount Sinai. His virtues, purity of life, great spiritual learning and staunch faith won him the patriarchal throne. But Justinian fell into the heresy of Docetism. Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and Blessed Anastasius reacted sharply against this. The Emperor exiled Eutychius and wanted to exile Anastitsius also, but could find nothing in his life capable of criticism. When Justinian was dying, he repented and returned Eutychius to the patriarchal throne, but Justin, his successor, succeeded in exiling Anastasius on the basis of certain slanders. Anastasius spent twenty-three years in exile and was then returned to the throne of Antioch during the reign of the Emperor Maurice. He governed the Church of God for six further years and finished his earthly course in 599. Blessed Gregory, Patriarch of AntiochAn Armenian by birth, he was abbot first of the Pharanite monastery and then on Mount Sinai and, when Blessed Anastasius was driven from the patriarchal throne, was, against his will, installed as Patriarch of Antioch. John Moschus writes about him in his 'Meadow', praising him highly. Gregory was particularly distinguished by an outstanding compassion, most especially towards sinners. He entered into rest in the Lord in 593 The Holy Apostle ZacchaeusHe was at first a publican and a sinner, but when the Lord saw him in the tree in Jericho (Lk. 19), He immediately brought Zacchaeus to repentance. Zacchaeus later followed the Apostle Peter, who made him Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, where he served the Gospel in faithfulness and died peacefully. Our Holy Father Athanasius of MeteoraBorn in 1310, he lived in asceticism on the Holy Mountain. He founded a famous monastery in the Meteora in Thessaly. He had great gifts of discernment and wonderworking.
Author's note: Philaret also mentions Gabriel the Child in his 'Lives of the Saints'. He was born in the village of Zvjerka, near the town of Zabludov and was only six years old when, in 1648, on the day when his parents were not at home, he was lured to a lonely place by a Jew named Schutko and there crucified. His body was found uncorrupt thirty years later.
St Joseph of SerbiaSaint Betranes and Theotimos (410)Sainted Betranes and Theotimos were bishops of Lesser Skythia, where the mouth of the Dunaj (Danube) flows into Thrace. Their diocesan cathedral was situated in the city of Toma (Kiustendji). They were Skythians... Venerable Alexander (Oshevensky) (1479)The Monk Alexander of Oshevensk was born on 17 March 1427, 80 versts from Belozersk in the Vysheozersk region, several months before the death of the Monk Kirill of Belozersk (+ 9 July 1427), – with whom he was bound together by later spiritual connections for his whole life... Child-martyr Gabriel of Slutsk (1690)Child Martyr Gabriel of Bialystok (+ 1690) was killed in Poland when he was only six years old. One day when his parents were not home, he was lured out of his house by a man named Schutko, and then killed. After thirty years, the martyred child’s body was found to be incorrupt.
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