THE VENERABLE ISSAC

February 14

From the Prologue

Issac lived during the time of Saints Anthony and Theodosius. He came to the monastery as a wealthy merchant. He left all and distributed everything to the poor and dedicated himself to the most strict form of asceticism in an enclosed cell. St. Anthony himself passed one prosfora(*) through an opening every other day. Deluded by demons who appeared to him in angelic light he bowed down to them and, after that, he bowed down before Satan himself believing that he was Christ. Because of that he became ill, and remained ill for two years after which he regained his health and became a more cautious and a more experienced ascetic. Because of this, before his death, God bestowed upon him abundant Grace. He died in the year 1090 A.D.]

(*) The Prosfora is the bread offered for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy from which the Lamb [Agnec-Amnos] is removed and later consecrated and becomes the Body of Christ in Holy Communion.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT AUXENTIUS' VISION OF SAINT SIMEON STYLITE

Auxentius, the adornment of Orthodoxy,

One night in mute silence

With tears, prayed to God,

Was lifting himself up in spirit to heaven,

With flaming wings, as a cherubim.

While the saint turned his gaze

To the swarm of stars in the heavenly firmament;

The elder looked and began to weep.

The priest-monks (hieromonks) asked him,

To tell them, what he saw,

And why did the elder begin to weep?

My children, priest-monks (hieromonks),

The soul of Saint Simeon, I saw,

The great Stylite, Simeon,

A pillar of Orthodoxy, a pillar of faith,

This night, the Stylite died,

His soul is being ascended to heaven,

Brighter than the stars, a glowing flame,

By us, his soul visited,

Me, a sinner, he graciously greeted.

Many nights have passed, since that night,

Until the news arrived about the death of the Stylite,

The truth of the vision, all recognized

That which Saint Auxentius beheld.