THE VENERABLE LEONTIUS

June 18

From the Prologue

Leontius was of Greek descent from the Peloponnese. He lived a life of asceticism sixty years in the monastery Dionysiou [Mt. Athos] and entered into rest in the year 1605 A.D. being eighty-five years of age.

It is said that this saint entered the monastery only once and only once did he leave the monastery in sixty full years. That is: he entered when he first went to Dionysiou and departed when they carried him out to bury him. He possessed the miraculous gift of discernment and prophecy and following his death myrrh flowed from his relics.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT LEONTIUS

Leontius, the heart of a lion,

A lion's heart and name,

Of his God, he was not ashamed

But, before all, confessed Christ,

The Savior of the world, Christ the God.

Youth, strength and commandership scorned

For the sake of the truth of the Crucified Christ

And [Who] from death, resurrected gloriously.

Flattered, hosted, glorified and favored with gifts,

He, his God did not deny,

Flogged, spat upon, scraped and crucified,

He, his God, did not deny,

But, the greater the torment and ridicule

The flame of faith greater and brighter.

The Roman Empire and all the powers of Hades

Against him had turned,

But he knew that alone, he was not.

For, beside him, stood Christ.

A pillar of stone, amidst the angry reeds,

A pillar of fire among the slaves of darkness.

By his faith, he amazed the people,

To live eternally, his life he gave.