November 25translatedThis page has been translated from Serbian to English. It may contain minor phrasing or syntactic issues.
Lives of the Saints
1. HIEROMARTYR CLEMENT, BISHOP OF ROME
Clement was born in Rome of imperial lineage, a contemporary of the holy apostles. His mother and two brothers, sailing by sea, were swept away by a storm in different directions; his father went to search for his wife and sons and was himself lost. Then Clement, being twenty-four years old, set out to the east to search for his parents and brothers. In Alexandria he met the Apostle Barnabas, and then joined the Apostle Peter, whom his two brothers, Faustinus and Faustinian, already followed. By God's providence the Apostle Peter came upon Clement's mother as an old beggar woman, and then upon his father. And thus the whole family was reunited, and all as Christians returned to Rome. Clement did not separate from the great apostle, who appointed him bishop before his own death. After the martyrdom of Peter, the bishop in Rome was Linus, then Cletus – both for a short time – and then Clement. With flaming zeal Clement governed the Church of God and converted to the Christian Faith day by day a great number of unbelievers. He also appointed seven scribes to write the lives of Christian martyrs who at that time suffered for their Lord. Emperor Trajan exiled him to Cherson, where Clement found about two thousand banished Christians. All were engaged in the difficult labor of quarrying stone in a waterless place. The Christians received Clement with great joy, and he was for them a living fountain of comfort. By his prayer he brought forth water from the earth, and converted to Christianity such a number of unbelieving inhabitants that in one year seventy-five churches were built in that place. Lest he spread the Christian Faith further, Clement was condemned to death and drowned in the sea with a stone around his neck in the year 101. His wonder-working relics were retrieved from the sea only in the time of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
2. HIEROMARTYR PETER, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
Peter was a disciple and follower of Saint Theonas, Archbishop of Alexandria. For a time he was a teacher in the renowned philosophical school of Origen. He ascended to the archepiscopal throne in 299 and reposed as a martyr at the tomb of the holy Apostle Mark in 311. He governed the Church in a most difficult time, when violence was done to the faithful from without by unbelievers and from within by heretics. During his time 670 Christians suffered in Alexandria. Often entire families were led to execution and killed. At that time the impious Arius was troubling the faithful with his false teaching. Saint Peter excommunicated him from the Church and cursed him in this world and in the next. In prison the Lord Himself appeared to this great and wondrous saint.
3. VENERABLE PAPHNUTIUS
Paphnutius never drank wine. Once he was captured by robbers, and the chieftain forced him to drink a cup of wine. Seeing Paphnutius's good nature, the chieftain repented and abandoned his brigand occupation.
Hymn of Praise
Noble Clement of noble lineage Became a zealous servant of the living Lord. All the vanity of splendid Rome he despised, He rose in spirit above all illusions. Spiritual kinship bound him to Peter, From bodily kinship with the emperor he unbound himself. Like a bright star he shone in Rome, With the honorable Cross he dispersed the thick darkness; The Apostolic Church he adorned and strengthened, And the powerless demonic forces he scattered. A storm arose from the demonic powers, That death might destroy God's saint. His body they destroyed; his soul went to Paradise. The holy body remained on the seafloor. Iron would have rusted in eight centuries But the body of Christ's knight did not decay, Rather it manifested many glorious miracles, And together with Christ God glorified Clement. O holy Clement, help us also Before God's throne with thy prayers.
Reflection
Concerning Saint Peter of Alexandria it is told that he never climbed up and sat in the patriarchal throne in the church, but rather stood or sat before the steps of the throne. When the faithful began to be troubled that their hierarch did not sit in his place, he answered: "Whenever I approach the throne I see a certain heavenly light and power upon it, therefore I do not dare to climb up and sit down." Besides this vision Saint Peter had another even more wondrous one. When he was sitting in prison, the impious Arius the heretic hypocritically pretended to repent of his heresy and sent word to the prisoner Peter that he renounced his heresy and a petition that Peter receive him again into the Church. And Arius did this only because he thought that Peter would be executed, so that he might seize the patriarchal throne, from which he would afterward spread and strengthen his heresy. Before giving any answer Peter prayed to God in prison. During prayer an unusual light illumined the prison, and the Lord Jesus appeared as a twelve-year-old boy shining more brightly than the sun, so that one could not look upon Him. The Lord was clothed in white raiment (chiton) which was torn in front from top to bottom. And the Lord was holding the garment on Himself with His hands, as if to hide His nakedness. Seeing this Saint Peter was in great fear and terror, and cried out: "Who, O Savior, has torn Thy robe?" The Lord answered him: "The senseless Arius. He has torn it, for he separates from Me My people whom I acquired with My blood. But beware lest thou receive him into communion with the Church, for he has cunning and hostile thoughts against Me and against My people." Hearing this Saint Peter answered his priests Achillas and Alexander that he could not accept Arius's petition, for it was false and cunning. And the saint pronounced a curse on Arius in both worlds. He also prophesied that after him Achillas would be patriarch first and then Alexander. And so it was.
Contemplation
Contemplate the wondrous creation of the world, namely:
1. How God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and took one of his ribs; 2. How the Lord God created from Adam's rib the woman Eve and brought her to Adam; 3. How here is the foundation and reason for the mysterious attraction and unity of husband and wife.
Homily
on the division of ministries and callings
And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11)
Just as in the human body various organs have various functions, but all act in harmony for the good of the whole body, so the Lord established in the Church, which is His body, various organs with various functions. In the first place come the apostles, to whom was given not just one honor but all honors, not one function but all functions, not one gift but all the gifts of grace. The apostles were simultaneously apostles and prophets, and evangelists, pastors and teachers. The apostolic calling is no longer repeated. There were twelve great apostles, and the thirteenth apostle Paul, and there were seventy lesser apostles. Prophets are those who received the gift of prophecy from the Holy Spirit. Here are meant not the Old Testament prophets but the New Testament ones (Acts 11:27; 21:10; 13:1). Prophets were and are regardless of rank and position. Evangelists are first the Gospel writers who wrote the Gospels; then missionaries who spread Christ's teaching among unbelievers; finally also interpreters of Holy Scripture who in writing expound Christian truth for all and everyone. Pastors and teachers – this is one and the same calling, for it is difficult to imagine a pastor who is not at the same time a teacher. Pastors are limited to a certain place and a certain number of the faithful, whom they guide toward salvation and govern the Church of God. Thus the Lord arranged everything through His holy apostles. Blessed is he who knows his ministry and the gift received from the Spirit, and who serves to the end according to his appointment. Just as the Holy Spirit now distributes gifts, so the Lord in His time will distribute rewards.
O Lord Holy Spirit, true God, help us to the end that in humility we may use Thy gifts for the good of Christ's Church and for our eternal salvation. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.