Ndiani Mikaeri Ngirozi Huru? (mwedzi waMbudzi, 8)

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Ngirozi huru Mikaeri mufananidzo weByzantine mukati meHagios Dimitrios, muguta reAlexandroupolis, Greece (kubva pano)

Panyika, pane vanhu vazhinji venyika dzakasiyana siyana vane zvakasiyana-siyana zvitendero uye tsika. Asi vashoma vavo havazivi Arhangela Mihaila. Handiti ndiye mumwe kwevatsvene shoma kunamatwa muzvitendero zvose, zvishamiso zvake rakanyorwa nyaya zhinji. Vanhu vari kushamisika ndiani ngirozi huru Mikaeri (muChechi yeOrthodox), kutanga akaziva simba rake risingaperi uye norudo hunhu.

Ndivanaani Inokuponesai

kududzirwa kweshoko "ngirozi huru" rinofanira ngarira zvakadzama ndiye Michael ari zvomuchadenga vakuru. Shoko iri riri yechiGiriki mavambo uye rinoreva "mutumwa mukuru waMwari." Kana zvakadzama, ari "Arch" - mukuru, kana wokutanga, uye "ngirozi" - mutumwa waMwari. Kubva ichi zvinoreva kuti ikozvino zvinogoneka zvakanyatsonanga ndiani Ngirozi Huru - .. The mutumwa mukuru, inova akafanana Mwari, kureva, ane simba, uchenjeri uye rudo kwakachena Musiki. 9 Ngirozi anozivikanwa pamisara pakati pavo vari chete Archangeloi ari wechisere pachikuva uye kupinda vakuru rechitatu. Maererano netsika yeChechi yeOrthodox, pane zvakawanda, asi Mikaeri chete akataura ari dzakafuridzirwa mabhuku eBhaibheri [Uyewo, Gabriel Ngirozi Huru]. VaKristu vakawanda kana kureva zvaiitwa nengirozi, kwete zita nezita, vari kuzvibatanidza Mikaeri Ngirozi Huru. It inonziwo Ngirozi Huru - mukuru, mukundi naSatani.

Ndezvipi mabasa ndivo Inokuponesai

The chikuru basa pakati Inokuponesai Ivhangeri Mwari vanhu, kuchinjwa uprofita kubva. vanobatsirawo kuziva zvinodiwa naMwari uye kusimbisa kutenda kwavo maari. Nhume nguva dzose pamusoro kudzivirira vana vaMwari, interceding vanhu, uye kubvisa pasi vagari kubva "zvinokachidza kutya." Saka isu paaitarisana zvinangwa anoita romutumwa mukuru. "Ndianiko Michael pakati pavo?" - You kubvunza. Michael ndiye mutungamiri rechiuto, vatungamiri uye Zvinovheneka kubvira kutuswa mubindu reEdheni, ndiye akadzidzisa Adam kurima uye kufudza mhuri. Yakakurumbira Joan pamusoro Arc panguva War Makore Zana ' dzakarwiwa kuti France chete kuburikidza vakurukurirane uye ushingi iye akapa romutumwa mukuru. Zvinenge zvose zvebhaibheri zviitiko inokosha akatora nzvimbo pamwe kutora chikamu Arhistratiga Mihaila.

(mufananidzo kubva pano)

Uyewo mumwe mukuru Inokuponesai muchiKristu aiva Gabriel. MuchiHebheru zita rinoreva "Mwari - simba rangu" mumutauro Russian sezvo mutengo waro zvichishandurwa se "simba raIshe, nhare." Zvinonzi anotaurwa muMagwaro Matsvene senhume, mutumwa waMwari uye petitioner pamberi paMwari ruponeso rwemweya dzechiKristu. Uyewo, ndiani Gabriel Ngirozi Huru, tinogona kudzidza kubva muBhaibheri, iro rinoti kuti kwaiva mutumwa tsitsi, akanaka uye uchenjeri wemhandara Mariya akaudza akanaka kwava kuda kwaJesu Kristu. (...)

Sezvinoratidzwa Ngirozi huru Mikaeri

Michael anoratidzwa mune dzokurwa ane murwi nomunondo uye nepfumo. Patsoka dzake dzinorema sapakuparadzwa Satani - ngirozi dzakapandukira Mwari vaitarisira seshato. Dzimwe nguva unogona kuona Michael pamwe chikero cheruramisiro nenhovo, mapapiro maviri shure shure uye mugwagwa korona mumusoro make. mapapiro matsvene dzinofananidzira pakukurumidza anotsvaka kuzadzisa murayiro waMwari zvikamu zvose zvakasikwa. Banner chena ruvara kuti inoshongedza pamusoro pfumo - kugara utsanana uye kuvimbika kusingazununguki kuna Mambo wokudenga nengirozi. Kugumisa muchinjikwa pfumo inoratidza kuti pakurwisana umambo yerima kukunda pakati Inokuponesai pamusoro riri akasarudza muzita kwoMuchinjikwa waKristu kuburikidza nokuzvininipisa, kushivirira uye kuzvipira. 

Liturgy yokutanga youmwari paChechi Orthodox yenengirozi vanoera  muKinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (kubva pano). Nezve Chechi yeOrthodox muDRC, ona pano & pano.

Kuti abatsire Mikaeri Ngirozi Huru

Ngirozi Huru haagamuchiri kunamata uye anenge chero nzira akagadzirira kubatsira munhu akanga vachimudana. Kunyange kana munhu haazivi ndiani ngirozi huru, anofanira chete kuna Michael - uye iye ugozvitumira Kusarudzwa uyo aida neimwe nyaya. Kuti atsigire kuverenga kunyange categorical asingatendi muna Mwari - Michael anokwanisa vatsause, uye kwavari vodzokera choruzhinji upenyu, uye kukurudzirwa kuita chiito, yokubatsira kusarudza. Kana, mune Unofunga paiva nezano, umo musina rubatsiro haigoni kuita, isu chete tinoda kumupa ndarayira. Asi iye anoziva Ngirozi Huru, iye chaizvoizvo kukumbira chinhu kunaka. Saka, zvose achibva sangano yakadaro yavharwa. Zvirokwazvo matambudziko Ngirozi Huru akakwanisa kugadzirisa saka zvakanaka kuti sokuti petitioner ipapo kwete kurota chakaipa, asi kunonakidza ushingi.

How kukumbira rubatsiro Inokuponesai

Icon yeVatumwa Vatsvene naIshe Jesu Kristu kubva kuguta reSerres, Greece (mufananidzo kubva pano)

Sezvo kugadzirisa dzimwe nyaya dzakaoma uye kuti upenyu nyore, unogona kushandisa Inokuponesai, zvakakosha kunzwisisa kuti zvikumbiro zvose uye nyaya anofanira kuva akarurama. Vagere munyika yomudzimu vanokwanisa kuverenga mashoko pamusoro munhu, asi iwe unofanira vachiri kudzidza zvakarurama uye zvakajeka nekutaura zvikumbiro zvavo. Ndokusaka magwaro vave zvikurukuru mano kuzovakwirira pamwe Inokuponesai, akadana minyengetero.

Mafomu avo vanofanira kukanganwa ndiani Mikaeri Ngirozi Huru, uye kumbira kupfuura kuisa munhu, nokuti kuita chete chii anokwanisa. Kurangarira kuti mumwe nomumwe nhume dzaMwari anokonzera zvimwe zviito uye havagoni kubatsira pakarepo nguva dzose. Asi hadzishandi kutevera minyengetero "mureza". Zvakakosha kuti mashoko akataurwa nokubvunza, vaibva mwoyo. Pose unofanira kuita munamato zvakare, tichiratidza kuitika ruzivo, uye havafaniri kuva chikumbiro chimwe. Treatment, inoumbwa pachake, unonyanya vakaperera. 

Yambiro (Chiziviso kune yedu blog): VaKristu vechechi yeOrthodox vanokumbira kubatsirwa nengirozi, asi hatiedzi kutaura nadzo, uye hationi ukama hwedu navo sehunokosha kupfuura ukama hwedu naKristu. Tinoziva kuti madhimoni anowanzofananidzirwa sengirozi dzakanaka kuti dzinyengedze vanhu.
Isuwo kakawanda tinokumbira rubatsiro kuvatsvene.
Rubatsiro runonyanya kukosha rwunogona kukumbirwa nemunhu nderwekubatsirwa kurarama sekudzidzisa kwaKristu uye kuwana umambo hwaMwari (ruponeso rwake). 

Jesu Kristu neNgirozi Vatsvene (kubva pano)

Kana vachipemberera zuva Ngirozi huru Mikaeri

VaKristu Orthodox ungaona Zuva St. Michael, Ngirozi Huru nani, uye vose Heavenly Powers incorporeal, 21 November (mwedzi waMbudzi) nerimwe gore (8 fung ekare maitiro). musi uyu nokuti kuti gore rakatanga kare kubva March, ukuwo, muna November aiva wechipfumbamwe panhurikidzwa nokuwanda Nengirozi pamisara. The nhamba 8 chinofananidzira Zuva Rokutonga, izvo remakore pashure magetsi kunoyerwa Week (vhiki), uyai "Eighth Day".

Zvinonzi yakataurawo Kuyeuka chishamiso Arhistratiga Mihaila, kupemberera zuva rakaburukira pamusoro September rechi19 (6th ounyanzvi. Style). In vanhu, zororo iri anonzi Mikhailov chishamiso.

In mhedziso, ndinoda kutaura kuti munhu wose anochengeta romutumwa mukuru. Ndiani, unogona kunzwisisa, zvichienderana nemamiriro ezvinhu, izvo zvinoita kuti abudirire kutiza. Chinonyanya kukosha - ndiko kuti vabatsiri vake, nokuti pedyo uye akagadzirira kugadzirisa dambudziko. 

Onawo uyewo

From Africa about Angels: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers  

 

Synaxis of the Heavenly Bodiless Angelic Powers

 

Archangels in Africa (photos)

 

On the Creation of the Angels (ST. NEKTARIOS OF PENTAPOLIS, LIBYA)

 

Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel (March 26)  

 

November 8, 1866: Commemorating the Holocaust of the Arkadi Monastery in Ctere, Greece

 

 

St. Nektarios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Pentapolis (November 9)

 

Orthodox Holy Icon of St. Nektarios Streams Myrrh on His Feast Day in Kenya

 *****

Mabiko (liturgy inoera) emutsvene Nektarios muGoma Orthodox Chechi, Congo (kubva pano)

 

Patriarch Theodoros: “Archangels, The protectors of every human being” (November 8, Synaxis of the holy Archangels)

 

 

Patriarchate of Alexandria & all Africa (icon from here)

On the evening of Thursday 7th November 2019, His Beatitude, Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, officiated and preached the homily at the Great Festive Vespers, with great splendor and in a full church, in the imposing Holy Church of the Archangels in the Daher district of Cairo, which has the largest Arabic-speaking Greek Orthodox community in the Egyptian capital.

A church that is always vibrant, particularly on the eve of its celebration, with the Alexandrian Primate presiding over the festive vespers of the Archangels, concelebrating with a multitude of Hierarchs: His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi, as well as the Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo His Eminence Nicodemus Metropolitan od Memphis, His Eminence Niphon Metropolitan of Pilousion and the Abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of St George Old Cairo, His Grace Theodoros Bishop of Babylonos, together with the Holy Clergy.

“Today the largest Arabic-speaking Greek Orthodox Parish of the Patriarchate of Alexandria is celebrating, the Holy Archangels in the Daher district of Cairo. And I feel immense gratitude for their love and dedication to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and its Primate", the Patriarch of Alexandria emphasized.

Speaking of the Archangels, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Africa, emphasized that "the Archangels are the symbol of the protection of all human beings, as every person coming into the world is accompanied by his guardian angel right up until he/she faces Christ. Above all the angels though, are the patrons Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel, who as protectors of every human being are the light, hope and our approach to the Triune God”. 

"Goodmorning have a blessed Feast Day!

Synaxis of the Taxiarchs and Archangels Michael & Gabriel

Chief Commanders of God; ministers of divine glory; guides for men and leadership of the Incorporeal; as Chief Commanders of the Incorporeal, plead for our welfare and for great mercy.

* The Cathedral of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel is located in Mozambique ‘s capital, Maputo. It was founded on 23 March 1958 by the Hellenic Community that flourished in Maputo. It was completed in 1960. It was re-opened in 2010, in responsibility for your grace Bishop Ioannis."

Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia

In the Orthodox Vineyard of Africa

See also

 

From Africa about Angels: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers  

 

Archangels in Africa (photos)

 

November 8, 1866: Commemorating the Holocaust of the Arkadi Monastery in Ctere, Greece

 

 

November of Angels & Saints in Orthodox Church of Africa...

Photos from the hstorical Orthodox Church of the Holy Archangels (Taxiarches) in Ibrahimia (الإبراهيمية‎), Alexandria, Egypt (from here & here)

Please, see here:

The feast of the Angels & St. Nektarios the Wonderworker in the Orthodox Church (November 8 + 9)

St Nektarios with his spiritual children (from here)

Saint John the Dwarf (or the Short), a great orthodox teacher of Egypt (November 9)

Saint Menas the Egyptian, the Great Martyr and Wonderworker, November 11 (& the Battle of El Alamein)

 

Angels, ancient saints, doctors, prophets & martyrs (& African martyrs) on September 4 - 6 – and the "Arapet" (black) holy icon of Mother of God

Orthodox Church in America (September 6)

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae

In Phrygia, not far from the city of Hieropolis, in a place called Cheretopos, there was a church named for the Archangel Michael, built over a miraculous spring.
This church was built by a certain inhabitant of the city of Laodicia in gratitude to God for healing his mute daughter. The holy Chief Commander Michael appeared to this man in a dream and revealed to him that his daughter would receive the gift of speech after drinking from the water of the spring. The girl actually did receive healing and began to speak. After this miracle, the father and his daughter and all their family were baptized. In fervent gratitude, the father built the church in honor of the holy Chief Commander Michael. Not only did Christians begin to come to the spring for healing, but also pagans. In so doing, many of the pagans turned from their idols and were converted to the faith in Christ.
At this church of the holy Chief Commander Michael, a certain pious man by the name of Archippus served for sixty years as church custodian. By his preaching and by the example of his saintly life he brought many pagans to faith in Christ. With the general malice of that time towards Christians, and especially against Archippus, the pagans thought to destroy the church in order to prevent people from coming to that holy place of healing, and at the same time kill Archippus.
Toward this end they made a confluence of the Lykokaperos and Kufos Rivers and directed its combined flow against the church. Saint Archippus prayed fervently to the Chief Commander Michael to ward off the danger. Through his prayer the Archangel Michael appeared at the temple, and with a blow of his staff, opened a wide fissure in a rock and commanded the rushing torrents of water to flow into it. The temple remained unharmed. Seeing such an awesome miracle, the pagans fled in terror. Archippus and the Christians gathered in church glorified God and gave thanks to the holy Archangel Michael for the help. The place where the rivers plunged into the fissure received the name “Chonae”, which means “plunging.”
The Chudov (“of the Miracle”) monastery in Moscow is named for this Feast. 

Icon of the Mother of God Arapet (Arabian)

The Arapet [= Black (our note)] or “Arabian” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared while the holy Apostle Thomas (October 6) was evangelizing Ethiopia, Arabia, and India.
Instead of the usual three stars (signifying the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God), the outer garment of the Theotokos has three circles with the head of an angel inside each one. In this feature, it resembles the icons “In Giving Birth you Preserved your Virginity” (“A Virgin Before and After Giving Birth”) (October 17) and “O All-Hymned Mother” (October 6).

Martyrs Cyriacus, Faustus the Presbyter, Abibas the Deacon, and 11 others, at Alexandria

The Martyrs Cyriacus, Faustus the Presbyter, (Habib) Abibas the Deacon, and eleven other martyrs suffered martyrdom for Christ at Alexandria under the emperor Decius (249-251). During the persecution, they all steadfastly confessed themselves as Christians before the governor Valerius. They were beheaded by the sword, about the year 250. Their bodies were buried by Christians in Alexandria.  

Saint David of Hermopolis, Egypt

Saint David of Egypt before his entry into a monastery was the leader of a band of bandits in Egypt, in the desert of Hermopolis. He had committed many murders and other wicked deeds. As he grew older, he contemplated his life and was filled with fear because of his past crimes. Leaving his gang of bandits, he went to the monastery intending to repent of his wickedness.
He begged the igumen to accept him as one of the brethren, but the igumen refused. He explained to David that their monastic life was very severe and would be beyond his strength. David persisted and finally, he revealed to the igumen, that he was the notorious robber David. He said that if they did not accept him, he would return to his former life, then come back and plunder the monastery and kill the monks. 

Holy Prophet Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth, parents of Saint John the Baptist  

 

Commemorated on September 5

Troparion & Kontakion

The Holy Prophet Zachariah and the Righteous Elizabeth were the parents of the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. They were descended from the lineage of Aaron: Saint Zachariah, son of Barach, was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and Saint Elizabeth was the sister of Saint Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. The righteous spouses, “walking in all the commandments of the Lord (Luke 1:6), suffered barrenness, which in those times was considered a punishment from God.

Once, during his turn of priestly service in the Temple, Saint Zachariah was told by an angel that his aged wife would bear him a son, who “will be great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:15) and “will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias” (Luke 1:17).
Zachariah doubted that this prediction would come true, and for his weakness of faith he was punished by becoming mute. When Elizabeth gave birth to a son, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she announced that his name was John, although no one in their family had this name.
They asked Zachariah and he also wrote the name John down on a tablet. Immediately the gift of speech returned to him, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, he began to prophesy about his son as the Forerunner of the Lord.
When King Herod heard from the Magi about the birth of the Messiah, he decided to kill all the infants up to two years old at Bethlehem and the surrounding area, hoping that the new-born Messiah would be among them.
Herod knew about John’s unusual birth and he wanted to kill him, fearing that he was the foretold King of the Jews. But Elizabeth hid herself and the infant in the hills. The murderers searched everywhere for John. Elizabeth, when she saw her pursuers, began to implore God for their safety, and immediately the hill opened up and concealed her and the infant from their pursuers.
In these tragic days Saint Zachariah was taking his turn at the services in the Temple. Soldiers sent by Herod tried in vain to learn from him the whereabouts of his son. Then, by command of Herod, they murdered this holy prophet, having stabbed him between the temple and the altar (MT 23: 35). Elizabeth died forty days after her husband, and Saint John, preserved by the Lord, dwelt in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to the nation of Israel.
On the Greek calendar, Saints Zachariah and Elizabeth are also commemorated on June 24, the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist.

Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses  

 

Commemorated on September 4 (icon from here) 

Troparion & Kontakion

The Holy Prophet and God-Seer Moses was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Abram and Jochabed (Exodus 6:20). His life is described in the Bible (Exodus 2 through Deuteronomy 34:12).
Moses was born in Egypt around 1689 B.C. When Pharaoh ordered all male children of the Hebrew slaves to be killed (Exodus 1:22), Moses’ mother placed him in a basket of papyrus coated with pitch, and set him adrift on the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and raised him as her own son.
At the age of eighty, Moses fled to Midian, where he spoke to God in the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb (Exodus 3:2). God chose Moses to lead His people from the slavery of Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, and for forty years they wandered in the desert.
Arriving in the land of Moab, Moses went to the top of Mt. Nabau, or Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:49), which is called Phasga (Deut. 34:1). There, according to the will of God, he died in 1569 B.C. at the age of 120 without entering the Promised Land.
The first two Biblical Odes are attributed to Moses: “Let us sing to the Lord...” (Exodus 15:1-9), which was sung on the shores of the Red Sea after the Hebrews had crossed it. “Attend, O heaven...” (Deut. 32:1-43) was sung in the land of Moab, a few days before Moses’ death. He is also regarded as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament).
The holy Prophet Moses performed many miracles during his lifetime, and also after his death. He appeared on Tabor with the Prophet Elias at the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6).
On the day that Saint John of the Ladder (March 30) was installed as abbot of Mt. Sinai, the Prophet Moses was seen going around and giving orders to the cooks, stewards, and servants. When the guests had gone and the monks were sitting at table, they wondered what had become of the stranger who had been giving orders. Saint John said, “Our Lord Moses does nothing strange by serving in the place which belongs to him.” 

Icon from here

 

Martyr Hermione the Doctor, daughter of Saint Philip the Deacon  

 

Commemorated on September 4

Icon: Sts Babylas, Moses the Prophet & Hermione

The 2nd icon from here  

The Holy Martyr Hermione was a daughter of Saint Philip the Deacon (October 11). Wishing to see the holy Apostle John the Theologian, Hermione with her sister Eutychia went to Asia Minor in search of the saint. During their journey, they learned the saint had died. Continuing on, the sisters met a disciple of Saint Paul named Petronius, and imitating him in everything, they became his disciples. Saint Hermione, having mastered the healing arts, rendered help to many Christians and healed the sick by the power of Christ.
During this period, the emperor Trajan (98-117) waged war against the Persians and he came with his army through the village where the saint lived. When they accused Hermione of being a Christian, he gave orders to bring her to him.
At first the emperor, with casual admonitions, sought to persuade the saint to renounce Christ. When this did not succeed, he commanded that she should be struck on the face for several hours, but she joyfully endured this suffering. Moreover, she was comforted by a vision of the Lord, in the form of Petronius, sitting upon the throne of judgment. Convincing himself that she was steadfast in her faith, Trajan sent her away. Hermione later built a hospice in which she took in the sick, treating their infirmities both of body and soul.
Trajan’s successor, Hadrian, again commanded that the saint be brought to trial for confessing the Christian Faith. At first, the emperor commanded that she be beaten mercilessly, then they pierced the soles of her feet with nails, and finally they threw her into a cauldron with boiling tar, lead and sulphurous brimstone. The saint bore everything, giving thanks to God.
And the Lord granted her His mercy: the fire went out, the lead spilled out, and the saint remained unharmed. Hadrian in surprise went up to the place of torture and touched at the cauldron, to ascertain whether it had cooled. When he touched at the cauldron, he burned the skin on his hand, but even this did not dissuade the torturer.
He gave orders to heat a sort of skillet and put the holy martyr in it naked. Here again another miracle took place. An angel of the Lord scattered the hot coals and burned many who stood by the fire. The saint stood in the skillet, as though on green grass, singing hymns of praise to the Lord.
When she was removed from the skillet, the holy martyr seemed to be willing to offer sacrifice to the pagan god Hercules. The delighted emperor gave orders to take her off to the temple. When the saint prayed to God, a loud thunderclap was heard, and all the idols in the pagan temple fell and shattered.
In a rage, the emperor ordered that Hermione be led out of the city and beheaded. Two servants, Theodulus and Theotimos, were entrusted to carry out the execution. Since they were in such a hurry to execute the saint, not allowing her time for prayer, their hands withered. Then they believed in Jesus Christ and with repentance they fell at the feet of Saint Hermione. They besought her to pray that the Lord would call them to Himself before her. This is what transpired, through her prayers. After this, she also fell asleep in the Lord.

Martyr Babylas of Nicomedia and 84 children with him  

 

Commemorated on September 4. Icon from here.

The Martyr Babylas and 84 disciples with him suffered in the city of Nicomedia for confessing Christianity during the reign of the emperor Maximian (284-305). The emperor, who was then in Nicomedia, renewed the persecution against Christians.
Like many other believers, Saint Babylas was denounced as someone who was instructing children in Christian piety. When Babylas was brought before the emperor, and after his confession of faith in the true God, he was given over to many torments.
During his sufferings the holy martyr cried to God, “I thank You, O Lord, that You have made me, who am old and infirm, to be young and strong.” After being pelted with stones, he was clapped in irons and they took him to prison.
Then the saint ‘s young disciples were brought before the emperor. Neither flattery nor promise of gifts were able to alter the Christian convictions of the children. Two of them, Ammonias and Donatus, firmly declared, “We are Christians, and we will not offer sacrifice to deaf and dumb devils.”
The emperor flew into a rage over the unexpected and firm rebuke from the children. At first, he ordered them to be whipped, and later to be put to death by beheading, together with their teacher. On the way to execution, the holy Martyr Babylas quoted Isaiah, “Behold, I and the children which God has given me” (Isaiah 8:18). With spiritual rejoicing, first Saint Babylas, and then his 84 disciples, received the crown of martyrdom. 

Archangels in Africa (photos)

Photo from here

Feast days of st Nektarios & Holy Archangels in the Orthodox Church of Tenke, Democratic Republic of the Congo (November 8 & 9 2018). Holy Metropolis of Katanga.

See photos here, here & here.
About the Holy Archangels, here & here.

Icon of the Holy Archangels with the Lord Jesus Christ from the city of Serres, Greece (photo from here)

See also

Orthodox Holy Icon of St. Nektarios Streams Myrrh on His Feast Day in Kenya

St. Nektarios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Pentapolis (November 9)  

From Africa about Angels: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers  

Orthodox Democratic Republic of Congo 

The feast of the Angels & St. Nektarios the Wonderworker in the Orthodox Church (8 + 9 November)

Icon from here

Click:
 
From Africa about Angels: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers
  
St. Nektarios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Pentapolis (November 9)

METROPOLITAN IGNATIOS OF PENTAPOLIS FALLS ASLEEP (9th November 2017)

Photos from here (holy liturgy in the Orthodox Parish of Holy Angels, Kinshasa, DRC, 8th November 2017)

 

 

 

"I have with me the Taxiarch of God, who is dark-colored like you, come see him!"

Mother Stavritsa the Missionary and the Miracle of the Archangel Michael the Taxiarch

 

Orthodox Christian Faith & Life

The wondrous icon of the Holy Archangel Michael, Mantamados, Mytilene (Lesvos). “Where your grace casts its shade, Archangel, there the devil’s power is chased away; for the fallen Morning Star cannot endure in your light.” May he intercede for us all and protect us! The Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers is one of the major feasts of the Holy Archangel Michael the Taxiarch, Mantamados, Mytilene (Lesvos). This is because that church was consecrated on this day. Thousands of pilgrims flock to celebrate this feast, seek the intercessions of the great Taxiarch, and thank him for his prayer and his protection.
Days of travelling, days of mourning (+ my father-in-law, Pericles), days of new beginnings, new home and new job, arduous, exhausting days, yet such hope and inspiration in Mama Stavritsa’s faith and courage!

 Mama Stavritsa with the 1st Orthodox Bishop of Uganda, Theodoros

 

Miracles of the Archangel Michael the Taxiarch to Mother Stavritsa the Missionary (+2000) (1)

 

My name is Stavritsa Zachariou, and I am a Greek American. In 1969 I went to Africa as a missionary. I am 75 years old, and 15 years I spent in Africa, near our suffering brothers, sowing the seed of the Gospel. I stay by myself in Nairobi, Kenya, and from there I go to Kampala, Cameroon, and other places, where the seed of the Gospel of Christ needs to be sowed.

I am a missionary of the Archdiocese of America. With the help of God and of benefactors, we built 12 holy Churches in [Africa]. We built the 10^th holy church in honor of the Archangel Michael, and I wanted to paint his icon from the prototype from the north gate of the Patriarchate. As I was finishing the icon, when I went to the post office, I received a letter from Fr. Soterios Trampa. I know Archimandrite Fr. Soterios, who was a missionary for many years in Korea, and who also served as a preacher of your Metropolis, along with Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Athens from 1968-1973. In his letter was a small booklet on the Taxiarch of Mantamados. Then I learned about Mantamados, and the bas-relief icon of the Archangel Michael. Fr. Soterios wrote: “I am sending you the information on the Taxiarch of Mantamados, that you might come to know his wondrous icon. Within this you will see one of his many miracles, which occur daily to the glory of God. I served there in the past, and I especially honor him…”

 

I began to read the booklet on the Taxiarch, including the miracle of the sword. As I continued reading, I reached the place regarding the passing of the sword from some unknown person to Mr. Diamante, when there was as if some marked commotion in the icon [that she had painted]. I turned around to see what was happening then and, O my God!!!! The Archangel of the icon began to come to life, to take on flesh and bones! I was astonished! I knelt before it and began to pray with tears and to ask for his help and his protection. After a short while, slowly the icon began to return to its natural state.

I was supposed to go for a trip to Kampala. I always thought that when I would go on some trip, that I should take with me the icon of some Saint from my icon corner. That time, I took with me the little icon of the Taxiarch of Mantamados.

We reached the border of Kampala and Kenya, and Kampala at that time (1988) had a military regime. When we speak about a military regime in the center of Africa, it means that human life is cheaper than the life of a blackbird!

As we were passing through, my driver (a Kenyan and my Koumbaro) did not notice that at one place there was a stop sign and he kept going. Five wild motorcyclists surrounded us. They got off their motorcycles, drew their weapons, and knelt, preparing to fire at us and to take our car and our possessions as spoil. That is what usually occurred there…

 

Then, I don’t know what strength was within me, but I opened the door of the car..I exited with the icon of the Taxiarch in my hands, and approached them, crying out:

“For God’s sake, stop! I have with me the Taxiarch of God, who is dark-colored (2) like you, come see him!!!”

Automatically, it was as if someone grabbed them by the hands. They calmed down, left their weapons in the grass, and ran up to me, took the icon, like something holy and venerable, and began to examine it carefully and to shout. They bowed their faces to the ground and holding my hands, they asked for forgiveness. Then I saw that one of them was injured badly in the hand by a knife. I took my first aid kit from the car, nursed the wound and dressed it. We became friends! The most impressive thing is that, there was sown the word of God, and the five of them received Christ, and became Christians!

After all of this, I promised to the Archangel to come to Greece, to Mantamados, to thank him. And today, I feel very blessed that the Lord made me worthy to fulfill my promise. I thank Him from all my heart!”

 

(1) Ed.’s Note: Excerpt not included in the Amazon book; part of her own autobiography, yet available in a limited edition only in Greek.

 

(2) Ed.’s Note: Dark-colored, because of dirt, mud and dried blood: 

“There are two accounts surrounding the date of this icon, one having to do with the Ottoman Turkish occupation and destruction of 1462, and the other with Saracen pirates during the 9th and 10th centuries during which the entire island was invaded.In either case, the story of the creation of the icon shares the theme that the target of the raids was the monastery of the Taxiarchis. The pirates threatened the monks with death if they would not reveal the whereabouts of the hidden villagers. The monks refused and the invaders slaughtered all of the monks except for one novice-monk ^[1]
As the pirates where leaving, the novice climbed to the roof of the monastery to be sure that the pirates had left. However, the pirates noticed him from afar and returned to kill him as well. It is at this point in the story that the Archangel Michael makes his appearance in front of the Saracens with his own sword drawn forcing them to retreat in terror^[2]. Thanks to this miracle from the Archangel the monk survived and descending to the courtyard buried the bodies of his fellow brotherhood.
The monk still in deep respect and reverence for having witnessed the Archangel Michael in all his fury, gathered up the earth that was red by the blood of the martyred monks and shaped it into the icon-sculpture of the Archangel as it is today; while it was still vivid in his memory. According to legend, the monk did not have enough of this dirt-blood mix and so the head of the Archangel has turned out disproportionately larger to the rest of his body.
This icon, is now kept within the interior of the church. Many islanders claim to have had personal experiences of miracles being granted for them by Mantamados. This is evident by the numerous cabinets full of tagmata (gifts) to the Archangel housed inside the church. To this day, pilgrims to this church have mixed emotions regarding this icon. At times, the expression on the icon can appear severe, sad, or happy, according to the message that the Archangel wants to convey to that pilgrim or the faithful. This is the tradition of the much-celebrated icon of Mantamados.”

Please, see also

 

From Africa about Angels: Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

The Orthodox Church in Uganda, an outgrowth of indigenous self discovery 

Orthodox Uganda (tag) 

Orthodox Mission in Tropical Africa (& the Decolonization of Africa)  

Natives Africans bishops in the Orthodox Church 

Five orthodox missionaries who blessed Sub-Saharan Africa (and an anonymous holy child of Africa) 

Wamisionari tano halisi ambaye heri Afrika kusini mwa Sahara (na takatifu mtoto bila majina ya Afrika) 

Les dits de Mère Stavritsa

The Kingdom of Heaven, where racial discrimination has no place
"THE WAY" - An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith
How “White” is the Orthodox Church?