30 Three Hierarchs

8/14/2019 30 Three Hierarchs

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OurFathersamongtheSaints,theEcumenicalTeachersBasiltheGreat,GregorytheTheologian,

andJohnChrysostom

WhomtheHolyChurchCelebratesonJanuary30.

Thiscommonfeastofthesethreeteacherswasinstitutedalittlebeforethe

year 1100, during the reign of the EmperorAlexis IComnenus,because of a

disputeandstrifethataroseamongthenotableandvirtuousmenofthattime.

Some of them preferred Basil,while others preferred Gregory, and yet others

preferred

JohnChrysostom,

quarrelling

among

themselves

over

which

of

the

three

was greatest. Furthermore, each party, in order to distinguish itself from the

others,assumed thenameof itspreferredSaint;hence, they called themselves

Basilians,Gregorians,orJoannites.Desiringtobringanendtothecontention,the

threeSaintsappeared together to thesaintlyJohnMauropos,amonkwhohad

beenordainedBishopofEuchata,acityofAsiaMinor;theyrevealedtohimthat

theglorytheyhavebeforethethroneofGodisequal,andtoldhimtocomposea

commonserviceforthethreeofthem,whichhedidwithgreatskillandbeauty.

SaintJohnofEuchata(celebratedOct.5)isalsothecomposeroftheCanontothe

GuardianAngel,theProtectorofaMansLife.Inhisoldage,heretiredfromhis

episcopalsee

and

again

took

up

the

monastic

life

in

amonastery

in

Constantinople. He reposed during the reign of the aforementioned John

Comnenus(10811118).

Restfromlabour.Wineandoilallowed.

Text:TheGreatHorologion1997theHolyTransfigurationMonasteryBrookline,Massachusetts02445TheMenaion2005TheHolyTransfigurationMonasteryBrookline,Massachusetts02445

IconCourtesyTheHolyTransfigurationMonastery


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OurFathersAmongtheSaints,theEcumenicalTeachersBasiltheGreat,GregorytheTheologianandJohnChrysostom

DismissalHymn.FirstToneTheOriginalMelody

HEthreemostgreatluminariesoftheThreeSunDivinity*haveilluminated

alloftheworldwithraysofdoctrinesdivineandtrue;*theyarethesweetly

flowing rivers of wisdom, * who with godly knowledge * have watered all

creation in clear andmighty streams: * The great and sacred Basil, and the

Theologian, wise Gregory, * together with the renowned John, * the famed

ChrysostomofGoldenspeech.*Letusallwholovetheirdivinelywisewords*

come together,honouring themwithhymns; forceaselessly theyofferentreaty

forustotheTrinity.

T

Kontakion.SecondToneHOUhasttakentoThyself,OLord,thesacredandGodproclaimingheralds,

thecrownofThyteachers,fortheenjoymentofThyblessingsandforrepose;

forThouhastacceptedtheirsufferingsandlaboursaboveallsacrifice,OThou

WhoalonedostglorifyThySaints.

T

TheImageNotMadebyHands

Our lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Napkin from Jerusalemto Kiing Abgar in Edessa by a messenger named Ananias.The Kiing was healed of Leprosy except for his forehead.This spot was healed after the Resurrection when theKing was baptized by the Apostle Thaddaeus. (See Aug. 16)

TheHolyOrthodoxMetropolisofBoston 2


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OIKOS

ho issufficient toopenhis lipsand tomovehis tongueconcerning them

thatbreathedwithfireinthepoweroftheWordandtheSpirit?HowbeitI

shallmakebold to speak such a thing; the three of them have surpassed all

humannature

by

their

great

graces,

which

were

many;

and

in

wisdom

and

divinevision theyhaveoutdone them thatwere illustrious inboth.Therefore,

Thouhastdeemedthemworthyofthegreatestgifts,sincetheyareThyfaithful

servants,OThouWhoalonedostglorifyThySaints.

W

VersesTheThreeMorningStarsitisfittingtorevrence,

Whowelleduptriplyshininglightintheirlifetime.

Acommonhymnitismeetthatallshouldoffer

Tothemthatpouredoutcommongraceuntoallmen.

Thespring

cometh

not

but

with

asingle

swallow;

Whilethesethreenightingalesarethesoulsfairspringtime.

TheTrinitylightethnoeticcreation,

Andthistrinity,thevisiblecreation.

TheworshipofGodmidstmenofoldtimesperished

Andthesunandmoonreceivedsenselessdevotion.

Forthosemen,marvelingattheirspeedandbeauty,

OfferedthemworshipasGodsinnowiserightly.

Butagain,bythesethreelightsshiningwithsplendour,

WearebroughtbacktoGodandHisrightfulworship.

Forbytheirlifesbeautyandtheirwordspersuasion,

They

sway

all

to

worship

the

only

Creator.

Thefireandairandwaterandtheearthsnature

Togethercomposethevisiblecreation;

Andtheywhoconstitutetheworldthatisgreater

FaithtowardGod,asitwereanothercreation

DobeartheprimordialTrinitysimage.

Fortheirmembershadnaughtthatwasloworearthly,

Neitherwasanyearthlymindintheirdiscourse.

ForGregory,theeverwatchfulmindbreatheth

Fireashisword,persuadingalltospeedGodward.

Tosuchasarefaintheartedbecauseofpassions,

Basilswordsbringthemrefreshmentandreviving.

Andhe

that

in

heart

and

mouth

alone

is

golden,

Inimitatingthemightyflowofwaters,

Coolethandrestoreththosewitheredinpassions.

Sowiththeirwordsbringtheyupallmortalnature

FromthedepthsofearthtotheheightsofHeaven.

Thegoldtriplesunshonewithonelightonthethirtieth.



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Bytheintercessionsofthesethree,OChristGod,andofalltheSaints,castdown

theuprisingsoftheheresiesandpreserveinonenessofmindandapeaceful

condition,anddeemusworthyofThyheavenlyKingdom;forblessedartThou

untotheagesofages.Amen.

MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS SAVE US.


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30 Three Hierarchs