Joel 2:21-27
I Corinthians 9:7-15

Matthew 12:1-8 John 4:35-38; 6:48-52
"AT that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat. And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days. But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him: How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only? Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame? But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

"Do you not say, There are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the countries; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that sow eth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. For in this is the saying true: That it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour: others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours.

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world."

------------------------

Today we remember the harvest, not just the harvest of crops, but also the harvest of souls. The combination of readings of the Gospel affirms that the discussion is not solely about the harvesting of crops, but also shows that the harvest, should remind us of the harvest of the gathering of souls into the Church.

"As this broken bread was once scattered on the mountains, and after it had been brought together became one, so may thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth unto thy kingdom; for thine is the glory, and the power, through Jesus Christ, for ever. "[Didache 9:4]

Bread, as the Didache tells us, is made from the flour of many seeds gathered together. The seeds of wheat are people gathered into God's harvest and joined into the Body of Christ. The harvest reminds us of this image for the world is a vast harvest whose grain is gathered and milled and baked as bread..

This is the image of the Faithful as the Body of Christ. Now, the Body of Christ is not the majority of humanity. Most have not been brought in yet, but we hope that they will.

We all are laborers of this harvest: we did not sow it for God sowed the crop. We labor in the hope that we may boast as St. Paul did in the harvest that is brought to Christ, sharing in the labor of the Sower.

We must do this out of love of Christ and His image in our fellow humans. That is a healthy ambition. We often fail to find such a healthy ambition, falling into a pride in ourselves which is superficial and worthless because it glorifies weakness and that which is less than God. It does not serve the needs of others nor does it glorify God. It loses sight of everything in self delusion. Pride in service to God in the redemption of others is the only healthy pride.

We hope that all will come to join Christ, not out of arrogance, but out of love. We must never suppose that we assist in redemption of others and the world because we know better than they. We would lose our own salvation in such a thoughts. Like the ox, we are supposed to taste the fruits of our own labor and be saved ourselves. Supposing we know better is idolatry of the self because one fails to acknowledge that only God knows what is best and make one's self the center of all truth: a silly idea. Furthermore such arrogance prevents us from really loving others and that is a failure to use our gifts for the good. We are defective in knowledge, but we are capable of love. Therefore that is one of the talents that must be used and it must direct our lives in the helping of others and our attitude toward the world..

Today's lections connect the image of the harvest to the central Mystery of the Christian Faith: the Eucharist, Christ Himself

Sacraments always have a material component. Water, Oil, people, Bread, Wine: Matter is always a part of Sacraments. The Church has always affirmed that though there is conflict between matter and spirit, the material world was created good and the use to which materials are used largely determines good or evil. Matter can be used to the benefit, even the aid of Salvation. Sacraments are not only a means of redemption and restoration through Jesus Christ but also a proof that the material world can be restored to its original goodness and used for the benefit of humanity. This being true, we are shown that we too can be redeemed and work at the harvest since we, being created in the image of God, are greater than the rest of creation and are above the insensible things.

With love of God and humanity one can have the correct Christian approach to the world: that all can be a benefit if used rightly. All can be a curse if abused.

We must look to God and pray for discernment that we may know the right way through following His teachings.

Pax Christi
Abbot-Bishop Maelruain, Cele De

Time is an appropriate subject for September. The Byzantine Rite celebrates the New Year on September 1^st (old calendar September 14^th), which was also a tax day in the Roman and Byzantine empires. The Byzantine Horologion To Mega (Wrologion To Mega) begins the Byzantine church calendar on September 1^st. The New Year in the Celtic Rite is November 1^st (old calendar November 14^th) which is one of the two "All Saints' Days"(another is the Sunday after Pentecost), although the Celtic Church calendar begins on Advent which is only two weeks later around November 13^th (or old calendar November 26^th), beginning the first Sunday with Psalm 1. (Older Roman and Celtic Advent was six weeks long; modern Byzantine Advent is also six weeks.) Two other beginning of year holidays: the old Roman new year around March or April, and the new Roman new year January 1^st (old calendar January 14^th), were both commemorated with a Feast of Fools (see January 1^st), as well as the Christian Festival.
 

Celtic churches had some new season events which took place September 1^st . In the Celtic churches is a commemoration of a great Martyrdom of thousands of Christians when they gave their taxes to the Romans but refused to burn incense to the Roman "gods." Therefore, September 1^st is also a great holy day in the Celtic Rite, because the going to heaven of thousands of Christian Martyrs was, in the earlier church, considered a much more important date than the going to heaven of one, or even a group, of "important" Saints, whether Martyr, Theologian, Apostle, Anchorite, etc. (See note about Feast dates of massive Martyrdoms by the glossator of Oengus at the end of September, below. Oengus does not list November 1^st among important Feasts, but he does list September 1^st because of the great Martyrdom. Such a great Martyrdom, then, is more important on the calendar than a date commemorating All Saints.) The Celtic Mass of New Fruits is not in July or August, but in the beginning of September. The Byzantine Rite celebrates this date together with the Feast of the Transfiguration, but it deserves its own celebration, and nearer to the time of harvest. See the Mass for New Fruits according to the Celtic Lectionary and the Sermon by Bishop Maelruain above.
 

[Oengus' Glossator notes at the end of September:]

Patrick's day (March 17^th), Quiriacus' day (June 16^th), the day of Laissren with keenness (September 16^th), the day of Beoc without decay (December 16^th), they have the roof of every quarter of the year. [These were considered the equinoxes and solstices on the Celtic calendar at that time.]

Little Christmas (January 1^st, the Octave of Christmas) and Patrick's feast (March 17^th) Adamnan's Feast (September 23^rd), Martin's Feast (November 11^th), Ciaran's Feast (September 9^th), Molaisse's Feast (August 12^th), I tell you without hurry, let them be remembered by you together on the same week-day. [The translator, Whitley Stokes, notes: "Thus in the present year (1904) these days all fall on a Friday." In otherwords, all these dates fall on the same day of the week in any given year.]

Columb's feast (June 9^th), the Feast of bright Quiriacus (June 16^th), and the calends of September (September 1^st), Bartholomew's Feast (August 25^th), say vigorously, Mary's nativity (September 8^th), Michael's Feast (September 29^th), 'tis meet to reckon those feasts in every house on the same (week-) day.
 

Note on these Feasts: Oengus notes equinoxes and solstices, then lesser Feasts "without hurry," and some greater Feasts "say vigorously." Although we think of the great Ss. Patrick and Martin of Tours as great Feasts, the reason that we "say vigorously" a Feast such as St. Quiricus is that it is another day of great Martyrdom of many thousands in the church, including the martyrdom of Quiricus who was an infant. Aengus uses the terms "without hurry" and "vigorously" to indicate the relative importance of celebrating these days, although he would not say to disregard any day. Note that calends, or the first day of September, is honored in the "say vigorously" list, while the date of All Saints on Celtic New Year, November 1^st, is not mentioned by Aengus, because a date of great Martyrdom was considered most important. The great Martyrdom of September 1^st happens to be an important date in the Byzantine calendar, both the Byzantine New Year and tax date and the Feast of St. Simeon the Stylite. It is near the Celtic Feast of New Fruits which is the first Sunday after the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29^th), and is also a tax date. See description after August 29^th and on September 1^st. Another date of a great number of Martyrs: Sept. 22^nd. It is possible that the date of the conception of St. John the Baptist was considered another date of new beginning, and therefore the end of September or beginning of October another New Year.
 

The Byzantine Rite lists the Feast of St. Simeon the Stylite, an Anchorite who lived on top of a pillar, on September 1^st. Some say St. Simeon reposed either September 2^nd or July 24^th in 459 A.D. Both the Celtic and Roman date of commemoration of St. Simeon the Stylite is January 5^th, -- perhaps the date of translation of his relics to Antioch which is mentioned January 5^th. The Byzantine calendar rarely commemorates events of mass Martyrdom: for example the slaughter of the holy innocents in the week after Christmas which is on all church calendars. The Feast of St. Simeon the Stylite is both later and lesser than the Holy Day of the Martyrdoms of many Christian Saints which occurred on September 1^st.
 

Events such as these September 1^st Martyrdoms recorded in the calendar of Oengus and the Martyrology of Tallaght were kept as very ancient records of the undivided Church. The Roman date of Easter that was practiced by the monks on Iona was originally called the calendar of St. Peter. Later, the Romans in Rome changed the date of Easter according to Alexandrian calculations, and then forced Ireland and England to conform to the new Roman date (see the calendar controversy surrounding Lindisfarne and Iona, which was one of the false accusations of Wilfred of York). The Mass for New Fruits in the Celtic Rite also occurs on the first Sunday of September, and is good to celebrate in connection with the holiday of "Labor Day," because the date is movable. It also has more to say about God coming into the world and a beginning, both in the harvest and the Sacrament. (See the Sermon of Bishop Maelruain.) It is also now near the beginning of the school year in many places. Christianity has a real belief in the goodness of God's creation, and although this world is tainted by the Fall, there is no taint at all in the Sacrament. (See below about time.)

Over the years, before the Ordination of Bishop Maelruain, when we were lay persons, we visited other Orthodox Churches when traveling on vacation, especially "Labor Day." In this way, we were able to worship in many places, heard sermons, saw other Church buildings, met many people from other Parishes, and often were able to fill in others about news of cousins and friends. Although this is not required, the practice of going to church on vacation does keep churches in places we visit open and functioning during the "off" seasons. If trying to rest, why not rest in the Lord?

For those who look at movies... see the original longer movie "Traffik" rather than the edited movie version "Traffic." The longer version of this movie should have won all the "Academy Awards" for the last ten years, instead, it was treated as a minor British documentary, which it was not. It was an acted film, but the acting was on such a high level that it seemed like a documentary. These two movies are almost the same scene for scene, except that some crucial scenes are cut from the shorter movie. The message of "Traffik" is that we cannot stop the drug traffic in this world, but we can do something about the demands for these drugs in making this world a place where people want to live. That is the point of our religious faith. God is here for us, and is going to give us something much better than a fix.

September is a very busy month, and so is August. While many Saints of August were not included in the August newsletter, there is no way to edit out some of them in September, because their theological and mission contribution is so important. This includes the great miracles of Ultan who protected and fed children that were orphaned by a plague, as well as the Festivals of the birthday of the Birthgiver of God and the Feast of St. Michael and all Angels.

We apologize for the extreme length of this issue.

Part I.

Time is a very difficult subject to handle, and not a subject that is explained much by the Saints who wrote the most on theology. The second century St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who was correct in every other way in overthrowing heresies about the one true God, was wrong by a few years concerning the time our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth. He thought that Christ taught for ten years, and was about fifty when He was crucified and resurrected, based on his estimation of how much time these events would have taken. (St. Irenaeus was the disciple of St. Polycarp, who was the disciple of St. John the Apostle.) In that era, pagans worshiped idols made of such things as silver and gold. Early atheists such as Epicurus and Democritus based reality on the atom, in theories remarkably similar to modern scientific theories, and they were refuted by St. Dionysius of Alexandria (See November 17^th; there is no room in this issue for the arguments of St. Dionysius of Alexandria. St. Gregory Thaumaturgis is better remembered on November 17^th.) Venerating idols or atoms venerates physical space and matter. The modern version of worshiping forces or energies is identical. Today science makes a connection between space and time, and one of the worst modern heresies is against time, both in scientific theories and the attitude toward Christ in His presence among us.
 

Some professors today like to teach a the theories of a mathematician, and would-be philosopher, Bertrand Russell. He argues that all causes preceded their effects, that causes are in the past, and the effect does not require current existence of the cause. He argues that God "might have" existed, but is not currently necessary to the existence of the universe. Yet, he does not understand the "ing" of creation, that God continually and immediately is involved in causing our existence, and that God is necessary now in creation: creating, not just creation. "Efficient causality" is when an effect continues only as long as a cause acts. What Bertrand Russell overlooked are those situations in which cause and effect are simultaneous. If a car has run out of gas and the gas station is up a hill,.the moment the car is not being pushed, it will stop going up the hill. Or worse still will go backwards, because another cause that is simultaneous in effect has intervened, and that is gravity which constantly causes effects. So, Bertrand Russell's theories spit on all the gravitational theories of the "inverse square" law. Since the time of Bertrand Russell, the universe has been seen to be a much more complex and also unified system with many conflicting forces requiring continuous cause, or a strange order of events such as in quantum mechanics, but there is still a tendency for modern atheists to hold up Bertrand Russell as their argument against the Creator.
 

Time is the greatest factor in the theory of evolution: those who believe in evolution think that time together with random activity is the cause of all creation, and therefore time must be strictly divided by those who believe in evolution into past, past, and further into the past, dividing the present and future from the past. Usually, people attack the theory of evolution by evaluating events that might not have occurred in the way the theory states, such as "instant" mutations, by finding large dinosaur fossils which were "later" than the comet, etc., but the greatest attack on this theory is the problem of the time-space theory itself. If time and space are warped by gravity or heavy mass, enough so that there are such things as radioactive decay (which ironically is used to date things from a "far distant" past), gravity wells, or information compression and decay, then it is possible for any theory of time to prevail. If all atoms are formed in less than a second of time (and, according to physics, this would have to be true, because time does not exist without matter and mass according to theories of relativity), then creation could cause many anomalies in time, past, present, and future. It is interesting that many of these problems of what happened before time were explained in a very simple way by St. Gregory Nazianzus (March 29^th). When examining the "Shroud of Turin," at first scientists dismissed it as a Medieval forgery, because of the carbon dating. Radioactive decay was greater than expected, as though the cloth were infused by radiation. Yet, all other evidence of the cloth: blood, fibers, etc., pointed to a 2000 year old piece of material. The radiation of the Resurrection itself must have been greater than the light of the angels and earthquakes described in the Gospels of St. Matthew 28:2-3 and St. Luke 24:4-5. Modern science quantifies everything with measurements, but it is enough to say that there was a tremendous change at the Resurrection of our Lord, enough to change time for eternity.
 

Time itself may change, as God wills. St. Peter quotes a Psalm in stating that one day of God may be a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8, and Psalm 89 Greek numbering), but it is also possible for great earthquakes and floods to change a landscape in a day. A sudden warming or breaking of an ice sheet could cause great gorges to be cut, as has happened in Iceland, or a volcano or earthquake could change the land. Islands are worn away much faster than originally thought. Scientists have noted that the surface of the earth appears to be made of great plates that fit together as a puzzle, but the places where these plates are broken apart also look like the waves of gravity or sound, and would have created a massive flood when the plates broke. In Genesis 8:2, the "fountains of the deep" are mentioned as well as the "floodgates of heaven." Some scientists think that the flood of Noah was the original flooding of the Black Sea when the Mediterranean Sea opened to the Atlantic. However, there are many cultures which record such a flood, and not necessarily near the Mediterranean or Black Seas. Not culture, but fossil records, record ocean bottom on top of mountains. Although the exact number of years of the existence of earth may not be known, the events in the history of the earth point to a shorter, not longer existence. Boats have been made for thousands of years, and there have been many early long ocean voyages, such as the population of Hawaii by Polynesians, and visits from Celtic and other traders on the continents of the Americas. The ride over the ice of the Bering Strait by the Native Americans supposedly occurred thousands of years ago. Of course, during the communist regime in the Soviet Union, people were not allowed to travel over that ice for political reasons, but Eskimo cousins from Siberia and Alaska again began visiting eachother in the winter by sled and dogs when Russia opened its doors. In other words, the population of the continents of the Americas by sled over the Bering Strait could be fairly recent. There has not been a long division in time of any "race" on earth, in fact, human beings are scientifically classified as one race with a variety of pigments, hair, blood types, and thirst factors. Humans from different groups may marry, and their offspring are not sterile, which points to only recent divisions in time between groups of people. How the variety arose is not understood, but there are many varieties within other species.
 

We learn from Genesis that we are all descended from one woman, Eve, and among Greeks Eve is considered the mother of all. At the Resurrection of our Lord, in spite of past faults, Adam and Eve were forgiven and taken to paradise, according to Orthodox traditional belief, seen in icons of the "harrowing of hell." (Still, we must be Baptized into Christ's death and Resurrection in order to receive this forgiveness ourselves.) Biology finds only one woman mother as well: in every human cell is a much smaller cell or cells which produce energy, called the "mitochondria." Mitochondria are only inherited through women, through the ovum. Sperm do not have this cell within a cell. Scientists found only one kind of mitochondria, one mitochondrial "DNA," descended from only one woman: Eve. In the flood of Noah we learn that his one family continued the human species. Although he strayed from the truth in other ways, the early sometimes-Christian writer Tertullian mentioned that all people who came from Noah worshiped one God, but later fell into a belief in diverse deities. Tertullian's work on Noah is worth reading. Again, this would indicate one descent.
 

Variety is found, not in the mitochondria of Eve, but the inheritance of the male "Y" chromosome. In men, if there is no break in the descent of father to son, in other words, a male in each generation, then the exact same "Y" chromosome is inherited for centuries. Various descendants of Thomas Jefferson can prove their heritage in this way. In this same way, some of those in Israel and certain "lost tribes of Israel" in Zimbabwe in Africa can prove that they are descended from the Cohens or Levis, the Priest caste of Israel. Not all of those who claim descent from Israel have this "Y" chromosome, having their descent broken over the few thousand years. The "sons of Levi" should match the "Y" chromosome of Levi, but so should Levi match the "Y" chromosome of his father and brothers; so the same ratio of men with this chromosome should occur in other tribes of Israel. Would not all the sons of Adam have the same "Y" chromosome?
 

It would follow that even if a woman had several husbands, she would still have male off-spring with a very small variety of "Y" chromosomes. Science also cannot explain this variety, because even if the human race were a mutation according to the theory of evolution, and the human species cannot interbreed with other species but can with itself, then there must be an intervening hand allowing the wide variety of humans while keeping the species separate and unique among mammals. If there are only a few mutations according to evolutionary theories, or only a few people directly descended from Adam and Eve or from Noah according to the history in Scripture, then there would not be such a variety of "Y" chromosomes, no matter how many years intervened between then and now. However, God intervened in the creation.
 

The very old age of the first Patriarchs recorded in Genesis indicates that the genetics of the human species were different at one time, and in the meantime have changed. The change in life-span has been explained away by some modern scientists as numbers of months, not years, but the long life-spans occurred before the flood of Noah (Genesis chapter 5). No Jewish or Christian source, Biblical or traditional, mentions a lunar measurement of months instead of years in these Biblical measurements of time. Although some tribes of Native Americans do measure months in a calendar, others count their "winter count" in years. (My grandfather Hugo Linn gathered information and photos for the J.P. Morgan project under Curtis, called "The Vanishing Race," in the early 1900ds. He was honored with a "Winter Count" from the Navajo, measured in years, noting an important event which took place each year.) How could the children of Adam to Mathusala have been begotten by fathers who were from five to fourteen years old, if measured in moons? These men would have been biologically too young to beget children if their "years" were actually months. It is more likely that they all lived the number of years recorded in Genesis chapter 5, and then the lifespan of people was changed by God, as Scripture records in Genesis 6:3, to one hundred twenty years at most. At that time, it is possible that a greater variety of "Y" chromosomes was also created or divided. In Genesis 8:21, and 9:11 God promised Noah that He would not smite the earth again for man's sake, but He shortened the life of men, with few exceptions. Thousands of years later, tradition says that the St. Simeon who held Christ was made to live about three hundred years as a punishment for doubting the line in Isaiah, 7:14, "And a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel." St. Simeon was among the translators of the Septuagint in Alexandria, and three hundred years later greeted Christ when our Lord was presented in the temple with the words, St. Luke 2:29, "Now let thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word..." (See the Life of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Apostles Convent, address below in Part II.)
 

Looking back in time without any respect for history or context is dangerous. While God is eternally present, it is still important to distinguish events from eachother. Not all symbols are the same. A recent documentary about early Christians in China shows a large temple that had been built in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Christianity was so popular in China, especially the cult of the Virgin Birth, that the Taoist religion changed the image of their primary god to resemble a woman. Before that time, "Quan-Yin" did not look like a woman. Christianity spread to many lands. The Irish, under St. Brendan of Clonfort, the Navigator, brought Christianity to the Americas in the five hundreds. It may have arrived in this area earlier, because archeologists have uncovered earlier Celtic cultural remains here, and more and more proof exists. (See Robert Pyle: All that Remains, about Old Irish writing on rocks found in West Virginia.) Some of the evidence has been lost recently in West Virginia due to strip-mining. Some of the Native American beliefs in the "Great Spirit" may have been influenced by other cultures, or inherited from their original monotheism. A symbol which appears in ancient India in the Vedic period and later in Buddhist art called the "Makara," is a sea-dragon with goats head and wings. The goat-fish-Capricorn symbol from Mesopotamia also called Tiamat, is the same symbol, a goat's head with fish tail and wings. Many people of the Chaldeans migrated to India around 2600 B.C., and a thousand years later their symbols had been slowly incorporated into the symbols of the culture of India. The ancient Arian language in India, which is a Mesopotamian language, bears this out. Yet, some people such as Joseph Campbell who was famous for studying myths, ignored historical evidence and said that images appeared in many cultures only because these symbols were sought by all people. He thought that all religions said the same thing. In the case of miraculous births, although many women were said to give birth miraculously, including in the Old Testament of the Bible, there were no other religions which recorded or sought a virgin birth. Icons are images which should be venerated because they remind us of God or the Saints they depict, but icons or images should never be used to try to show similar symbols in other religions, because all of the history and meaning of the images must be examined. Symbols can teach something about God, but symbols mean only what the person who wrote them says they mean. In Australia, where the aborigines make images of their "dream time" experiences, many of the images from tribe to tribe look similar, but tell vastly different stories. The small vocabulary of images in this case has a different meaning for different people, almost as different symbolic languages, and only serves as a reminder of what they experienced. Each image needs to be explained by the person who made it. There are enough unprovable categories of Joseph Campbell to warrant serious attention to his departure and even destruction of the scholarship of so many others who truly did attempt to study the myths and cultures of many lands. (See the quote from the article by Dr. Tom Snyder below.)
 

Although the theological writings of Orthodox Christians in the last two thousand years resemble eachother, it is still a worthy subject to learn how their ideas relate to eachother historically. Often the writings answer heresies of an era, or signify mission work to a particular people. Although the truths are eternal, it is best to show something about the context of the writings, because otherwise it is possible to have a foggy notion about what these writings mean, or why certain other subjects might not be covered in these writings. Although some writings have been lost, it is also true that many sermons focus on certain subjects which were important during only one era. If we think that all of these are the same, it opens us to the attack that our beliefs are just like any others. We believe in an immediate presence of the Lord (see below), but at the same time a careful examination of historical facts. Unlike so many modern Protestants and Roman Catholics, we Orthodox examine the writings of the early church fathers in detail, which answer many of the heresies found today. The first universities in the United States of America were Protestant seminaries at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, etc. These are the institutions which often are the arbiters of curricula, academic accreditation, and standards; and it is considered just fine for theology and philosophy departments to ignore the great classics of Christian writing of such Saints as St. Irenaeus of Lyons, St. Gregory Nazianzus the Theologian, St. Basil the Great, the heavenly St. Sedulius, among many others. When considering that Milton plagiarized much of his poem from the heavenly Sedulius' Carmen Paschale, but that epic poem "The Song of Easter" has never been translated entirely into English, although it was long ago translated into every other European language, it is no wonder that there is such poor religious scholarship today. Christian history is worth reading; it is difficult to hide the Orthodox truth if history is known.
 

Part II.

Christians have been worried for many centuries about the phrase in the Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation of St. John the Divine, Apostle and Evangelist), chapter 22, verses 7, 12 and 20, "Behold I come quickly." In the same chapter, verse 17, asks Jesus to come, "And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come..." That same verse 17, Jesus's coming to us is also reflected in our coming to Him, "...And he that thirsteth, let him come: and he that will, let him take the water of life, freely." In the Celtic Liturgy, the words chanted by the Bishop or Senior Priest just before Holy Communion are, "Come forth and take possession of the kingdom of My Father - Alleluia - which hath been prepared for ye from the beginning of the world - Alleluia - Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: Come forth! As it was in the beginning is now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen. Come forth!" Pentecost and the Eucharist took place in the upper chamber because "God must come down to us, as I know He did of old to Moses; and on the other that we must go up to Him, and that so there should come to pass a Communion of God with men, by a coalescing of the dignity..." From St. Gregory Nazianzus, the Theologian, the Oration on Pentecost XII. There is a sense of immediacy and participation in the Kingdom of Heaven in Holy Communion, God with us, in us, and among us. Time is not a consideration, except as an immediate event. In the original Greek of St. John, the words of the Apocalypse chapter 22 verses 7, 12, and 20 are, "Idou, ercomai tacu." In English lettering, "Idou, erhomai taxu." A translation in an inter-linear text says, "Behold I am coming quickly," not, "Behold, I come quickly." (Pocket Interlinear New Testament, Jay P. Green, Sr., Editor, 1979, available from Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 49506.) This small distinction becomes more important when considering that the verb "erhomai" is about something that is both happening and will happen. In English we would stick an "ing" on the end of such a verb, as the inter-linear translation "am coming" does. The entire time sense becomes a sense of immediate presence, combined with a future that is eternal and yet will become final when we least expect it. If grammar does not express this enough, the context of verse 17 in the chapter 22 of the Apocalypse, where Christ comes to us, and we come to Christ, gives the same sense of immediacy.
 

In the same way, the eternity expressed in the words at the Last Supper, in St. Luke 22:19 at the end of the verse, "...Do this for a commemoration of me." Douay version Bible. (In the King James Version, "...this do in remembrance of me." In The Orthodox New Testament, Volume 1, Evangelistarion, published by Holy Apostles Convent and Dormition Skete, Buena Vista, Colorado., 2000, "...be doing this in remembrance of Me." The Greek text says at St. Luke chapter 22, the end of verse 19, "touto poieite eis thn emhn anamnhsin." In English type, "...touto poieite eis tyn emyn anamnysin." Jay P. Green says this translates to "Do this for My remembrance." However, a person who knows Greek realizes that the term "to remember" is not similar to the English. In English, the term points to the event in the past that is remembered, so "for my remembrance" would mean only in thinking about a past event. In Greek the form means continuously remembering, therefore "do this so that you can continue to remember or think about me." We would also say in English, "to keep it in mind" (or heart), as if to say, "keep me in your heart." This phrase appears elsewhere in the Bible concerning the most Blessed Virgin Mary, who kept all the events of our Lord Jesus Christ in her heart (St. Luke 2:51). Our Lord points out how important it is to keep His words in our heart, St. Luke 11:28, "...blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it."
 

The term "keep it" then is a burden on us to remember, realizing that God is always in the present and is ever with us, including every event that God does. (See St. Paul in the Book of Acts, chapter 17, especially, verses 24-28, "God, Who made the world, and all things therein; He, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is he served with men's hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing it is He Who giveth to all life, and breath, and all things: And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation. That they should seek God, if happily they may feel after Him or find Him, although He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: for we are also His offspring." Often, people think of God as "great," meaning in all space, but even though every phrase where we repeat the "Gloria" speaks of the eternity of God, this is the most often forgotten quality of God's magnificence and power, "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen." In the Celtic description of some of the qualities of God found in the Trinitarian "Truly it is worthy" prayer, the first phrase of coupled qualities is "One and Immortal God." People are used to thinking about immortality as an eternal going toward the future, destroying the remembrance of the past, but the immortality of God is His eternal presence of all events, not setting them so that the future cannot be changed, but making the Cross always present for us, the Resurrection always present for us, and Holy Communion always present for us: One Sacrifice, but approachable as often as daily or weekly in an infinite present. If the Church says, "He IS Risen," then the Church says that Holy Communion truly is the Body and Blood of Christ, present for us, which we take to keep Christ in our hearts. Christ makes the invitation as recorded in the Gospel of St John chapter 6, and makes clear just how strong an invitation "Take and eat"is (St. Matthew 26:26-28). St. John chapter 6, verses 54-57, "...Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him..."
 

God is eternal and unchanging: beyond time. However He has set a means for us to encounter Him within time. God is truly with us in the Sacrament. We Christians believe that God is present also, not in imagination, or a "spiritual sense," but truly and really present. Christ must be present with us in space if He is present in time. The bread and wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ, as the Greek says. The Greeks do not like the term "transubstantiate" because its original meaning has nothing to do with the Eucharist; it is a complicated term which had previously been used by heretics. The heretical term "transubstantiate" meant that Christ Himself changed when He was born so that He is somehow no longer like us, suffering for us, as well as truly God; also known as the "monophysite" or "one nature of Christ" heresy. Christian writers such as St. Gregory Nazianzus and St. John Cassian never complain about the Presence of God in the Eucharist, and the change of the bread and wine into Christ's Body and Blood. These Christian writers only complain that some unbelievers do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as truly coming among us as a man as well as God, complete in the flesh, but truly living a human life. The Greeks never think "heresy" about the "changing" or "metabalon" (Metabalwn) which takes place during the Divine Liturgy or Mass. (The term "metabolize" comes from the Greek term to change.) In the Celtic Rite, one special prayer asking for this change, "We who serve, offer these prescribed Holy Gifts of our Salvation, that Thou may be pleased to send Thy Holy Spirit upon this Sacrifice so that it may be changed into a legitimate Eucharist for us in the Name of Thee, Thy Son and the Holy Spirit, in the transformation of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; and may it be unto us who eat and drink, Life eternal and the eternal Kingdom. Through Himself, Christ our Lord who reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit throughout all ages of ages. Amen." In the Byzantine Rite there is a similar prayer, "Once again we offer to Thee this spiritual worship without the shedding of blood, and we ask, pray, and entreat Thee: send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here presented. And make this bread the precious Body of Thy Christ. Amen. And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Thy Christ. Amen. Changing them by Thy Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen." These prayers are almost the same: the Celtic prayer recorded more than twelve hundred years ago, and traditionally said in Gallican and Apostolic churches hundreds of years before that, and the prayer of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chyrsostom in the Byzantine Prayer, which is used to this day. This belief in the Presence in time and in reality of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is Christian. No other interpretation of Christ in the Eucharist could be called Christian, because Christ truly came into the world to save sinners, not part way into the world, or spiritually into the world where He already is and has been since the beginning of time, but really present in Holy Communion.
 

Immediacy in time is also expressed in the Lord's eating of the Last Supper, and His coming into His kingdom. St. Matthew 25:29, "And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father." (also St. Mark 14:25, and St. Luke 22:16). In St. Luke 24, 41-43, after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, "But while they yet believed not, and wondered for joy, He said: Have you here any thing to eat? And they offered Him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb. And when He had eaten before them, taking the remains, He gave to them." At the Resurrection, Jesus comes into the Kingdom of our Father in heaven, and then shares food in the Kingdom, the Church of the Apostles on earth. This is an immediate presence of our Lord, not an event in the past, or an event far off in the future. Christ's kingdom is delayed for the disciples only three days!
 

At the Lord's Supper, as recorded in the Gospels, there is also an immediate sense of those who receive Holy Communion either going out and doing the good deeds of servants for others, or the betrayal of pride, and leading immediately to the Lord's Crucifixion. This is expressed in the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 22, verses 21 through 34. A sense of immediacy connecting Holy Communion with deeds brings the sense of Christ's "coming quickly" to our faith and works. St. Luke 22:24-27, "...The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them, are called beneficent. But you no so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is the leader, as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth." (See the Feast of Saints John and James, December 27^th in the Celtic Rite, where this is the Gospel.) While those who separate time into past, present, and future also tend to have a problem understanding the relation between faith and works, an understanding of an immediate time sense shows that it is the highest calling to be the servant, one who does good works. Instead of "lording over them" our positions of faith, we immediately express that faith in the works that our faith describes. There heresy of Pelagian "self-sufficiency" bends time into a cause in a past, thinking that after God's one creation everything might be "self-sufficient," rather than needing the help of God in "efficient causality." But being a servant to all is an immediate grace-filled Christian leaning on the Lord, knowing that the Lord continually creates and helps us in our serving.
 

Psalm 89 (Greek numbering)

1. Lord, Thou hast been our refuge: from generation to generation.
2. Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed: from eternity and to eternity Thou art God.
3. Turn not man away to be brought low: and Thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.
4. For a thousand years in Thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night;
5. Things that are counted nothing shall their years be.
6. In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning He shall flourish and pass away: in the evening He shall fall, grow dry, and wither.
7. For in Thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in Thy indignation.
8. Thou hast set our iniquities before Thy eyes: our life in the light of Thy countenance.
9. For all our days are spent: and in Thy wrath we have fainted away. Our years shall be considered as a spider:
10. The days of our years in them are threescore and ten years. But if in the strong they be fourscore years: and what is more of them is labour and sorrow. For mildness is come upon us: and we shall be corrected.
11. Who knoweth the power of Thy anger: and for Thy fear
12. Can number Thy wrath? So make Thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
13. Return, O Lord: how long? And be entreated in favour of Thy servants.
14. We are filled in the morning with Thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.
15. We have rejoiced for the days in which Thou hast humbled us: for the years in which we have seen evils.
16. Look upon Thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children.
17. And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct Thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do Thou direct.
 

Some notes:

The term "efficient" in "efficient causality" meant the thing that is the direct and current cause of an effect, a cause that is still happening or the effect would cease. The meaning of the term "efficient" has since changed in the few centuries since this philosophical term was coined. Today "efficient" means simple and fast in motion. Now "efficiency experts" find the fewest steps or fastest methods, whether better or worse in quality, to perform a task. Often, quality suffers. These "efficiency experts" are not seeking better effects, but only the conserving of motion. This may also be a dangerous idea, as it has led to job-related repetitive motion injuries in cases where an "efficient" motion is performed too many times for a body to adjust to the stress. A company saves a few dollars on production, and pays many thousands or millions of dollars on medical bills. There are many terms which have changed meaning since the Bible was translated into English. The term "scandalize" in Latin, Greek, and older English meant to cause somebody to stumble, which could mean both to physically stumble and also mentally or emotionally be unable to get over something.

A Protestant ex-anthropologist, Dr. Tom Snyder, PhD. , wrote an article criticizing Joseph Campbell

http://www.answers.org/CultsAndReligions/Campbell.html Answers In Action P.O. Box 2067, Costa Mesa, California 92628, (949) 646 9042, Copyright 1991. Answers In Action c/o aia@answers.org (organizational information required in order to include quotes.) His Bibliography is entirely lacking in any early church source, such as Tertullian, St. Gregory Nazianzus, or others, and his anthropological sources are far more anti-Christian and against any kind of "magical" thinking than he avers, but at least Dr. Synder has begun to criticize Joseph Campbell in many areas. (I also studied anthropology because of an interest in cultures, but the attitude of anthropologists to examine food sources and geneologies rather than people or their philosophies and beliefs turned me away from the subject. Why pay attention to categories of geneology and not to the philosophy of a group? How can the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. be explained by Roman's need for more food sources, as the anthropologists do concerning reasons for war and aggression?) Below is a quote from an article by Dr. Tom Snyder concerning monotheism.
 

"Using the idea of evolution, Campbell claims that ethical monotheism is a late development in man's history. Anthropologists have long abandoned this evolutionary theory of human religion. If anything, there is strong evidence that the first religion of early man was a primitive type of ethical monotheism where the first primitive societies worshiped a benevolent, celestial god similar to the God of the Bible. The earliest examples of human writing indicate that, in several different cultures, this monotheism degenerated into a gross polytheism where people in those cultures took the attributes of the one true God and scattered them among an increasing array of deities and demi-gods.
 

"This evidence seems to confirm the description of man's religious activity in the first few chapters of Genesis. It also seems to match what Paul says about the religions of men in chapter one of Romans. One of the most prominent advocates of primitive ethical monotheism was Father Wilhelm Schmidt, whose book The Origin of Religion was published in America in the 1930s. Ironically, Campbell mentions Father Schmidt's work in the 1959 edition of his four volume set The Masks of God, but he never talks about Schmidt's evidence for primitive monotheism, which contradicts Campbell's own theories. Campbell is not the only secular scholar guilty of such convenient memory lapses when it comes to Schmidt's work.
 

"For example, both social anthropologist Edward Evans- Pritchard in Theories of Primitive Religion, originally published in 1965, and Charles Joseph Adams in "The Study and Classification of Religion" in Britannica discuss the criticisms which scholar R. Pettazoni leveled at Schmidt's work. Pettazoni claimed, among other things, that the ethical monotheism found in primitive cultures was far different than the more advanced ethical monotheism found in later societies. Neither Evans-Pritchard nor Adams, however, discuss Father Schmidt's own criticisms of Pettazoni's work. Their neglect makes me seriously question the academic objectivity and skills which they bring to Schmidt's work.
 

"Be that as it may, it is not really necessary for Christians or Jews to prove that the very first religion of mankind was ethical monotheism. All we need to show is that ethical monotheism goes back in history as far as any other known spiritual or religious idea. This is exactly what the work of Schmidt and other proves. Even Evans-Pritchard himself notes that most anthropologists have abandoned all evolutionary schemes for the historical development of religion. Campbell's work must therefore be considered completely out of the mainstream of modern anthropology at least as far back as 1962 when Evans-Pritchard gave the lectures on which his book is based!"

This is most of September's calendar, according to the lists of Saints from Oengus, The Martyrology of Tallaght of St. Maelruain, the wonderful recent compilation of Irish Saints called The Saints of Ireland [TSI] by Mary Ryan D'Arcy, and also the Lives of the Apostles from Holy Apostles' Convent (all paraphrased; it is highly recommended to obtain these books). There are few days with few enough Saints to edit out; yes, some dates are not included here to shorten it a little. I've had the criticism: then, what will be in the newsletter next year? This year most of these entries are very short histories of the Saints, but there is plenty for next year. Next year a short selection of their writings would be useful to make the world understand why these men and women are honored in the Church.
 

1 Sept / 14 Sept On the calends of September Caecilia with righteousness, four virginal hundreds, twenty and three thousands.

Cecilia virgin and Martyr (i.e.: iiii.milia.cccc. & xx & ihs, that is, four thousand four hundred twenty one) and Joshua son of Naue or Joshua son of Nun. (Iesu mac Nuin.) [The name in Hebrew "Yeheshua" is the same name as Jesus. Joshua or Jesus means "savior." Although Joshua son of Nun saved the Hebrew people in their physical needs, Jesus Christ Son of God saves all people who believe in Him, both in their body and soul. This is because through Jesus Christ is the Resurrection of the Dead and life eternal; and instead of crossing the Jordan river, we are Baptized and saved from death, and our "promised land" is the kingdom of heaven, which is the Church on earth and in heaven.]

The event of the Martyrdom of so many thousands of Christians occurred on a Roman tax date: this same tax date of September 1^st was later the date of taxes for the Byzantine Empire. See note after August 29^th about the Mass for new fruits. On a tax date, it would be possible to both enroll citizens, and also require them to publically burn incense to the pagan Roman emperor-god, which Christians refused to do, and which led to so many being Martyred. The Martrydom of the Holy Innocents (December 28^th) also occurred near a tax or enrollment date called by Caesar Augustus, St. Luke 2:1-5. Herod's grandson Herod (Agrippa) allows himself to be called a god, without giving glory to God, and is struck down immediately with worms; so the same kind of abuse calling an earthly king a god was present in the Herodian line. (Herod's grandson Herod had been fostered in the court at Rome, and was much more Roman in religion than anything else.) Herod the great the tetrarch killed the Holy Innocents St. Matthew 2:1-19 and had restored the temple; when he died, Archelaus his son reigned in Judea so that St. Joseph took his family to Nazareth (St. Matthew 2:22-23); and his grandson Herod Agrippa beheaded St. John the Baptist St. Matthew 14:1-12, St. Mark chapter 6; Jesus warns against the words of Herod (Agrippa), St. Mark 8:15; Herod (Agrippa) is one of those who puts Jesus Christ on trial before the Crucifixion, St. Luke 23:7-15; and is killed by worms, Acts 12:21-24. St. John the Baptist certainly complained about the abuse of God's law that the Herodians practiced, and this led to his beheading. Adopting the customs of Rome or any power-hungry culture is not something any Orthodox Christian should do. Christians do not disobey the law unless it requires us to "burn incense" to an earthly king who calls himself a god, or asks us to harm another person. Because of the Martyrdom of so many, September 1^st was considered one of the most important dates on the Christian calendar, not to be overlooked: see note at the end of September 30^th; another great martyrdom June 16^th.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Cicilia virgin; Calista; Tonsa; Musa; Maria; Agna; Donata; Tecla; Fortunata; Priscus Martyr and three thousand four hundred ten other Martyrs [see Oengus above who lists a different number]; Marcus; Felix; Torentianus; Donatus; Zefanus; Evodius; Egidius Abbot; Laurentius; Hermoginis; Dubitatus; Valentus; Nausus; Iesu Nave; Fortunatus; Donatus; Felix; Gedeon Prophet (Gideon); Cleomannis; Constantinus; Felicianus; Sisinnus; Amansus; Victorius; Vincentius; Donatus Subdeacon. [Note from editors: 'Remainder of this day, also 2, 3, and portion of 4 wanting; but there is no break in the MS.]

(Note: In the Roman Martyrology, St. Giles is also known as Aegidius, or Egidius Abbot in the Martyrology of Tallaght. He is not emphasized by the Celtic Church. He had come from Athens and lived later near Marseilles, and later stories said he was a father-confessor of Charlemagne, although the Martyrology of Tallaght was written earlier than a life which would have included these events. He was remembered in the west, after the tenth century as one of the "fourteen holy helpers," the only one not a Martyr, having some aspects of his history similar to St. Martin of Tours. Butler, Thurston and Attwater think most of the Medieval stories of St. Giles are forgeries written to support the monastery. See Butler's Lives of the Saints.)

(This is also a date of celebration of St. Tecla in the Martyrology of Tallaght.)
 

3 Sept / 16 Sept Colmán of Druimm Ferta, Longarad a delightful sun,  Mac nisse with thousands, from great Conderi.

Colman of Druin ferta, i.e. Colman from Cluain ferta Mongain in Hui Faelain, and Mongan (was) in Hui Failgi, and Druim ferta is a hill near the church, a place wherein many miracles used to be wrought (by Colman). Of Druim ferta i.e. a hill near the city, where Colman wrought many miracles.. Colman i.e. o Cluain [ferta] Mongan in Huib Failge. Druim ferta a hill near the city, and Colman wrought many miracles there. Of Colman with all the Fathers. Who made well water wine three times.,, i.e. the first time for Colum cille: the second time for Fechine of Fore, when he gave his eyes to him: the third time for Ruadan of Lorrha. And that well is in darkness behind Ruadan's flagstone east in his graveyard; and everyone on whom water comes in that graveyard his soul is not punished.

Lon-garad Coisfind (Whiteleg) etc. In Mag Tuathait in the northern part of Ossory, i.e. in Hui Forcellain, i.e. in Mag Garad, in Disert Garad precisely, and in Cell Gabra in Sliab Mairgi in Les Longarad.

White-leg, i.e. great bright hair through his legs [note: "hair" in Celtic terms also means rays of light, as in the "hair" of the tail of a comet], or bright-white were his legs. He was a master of study and jurisprudence and history and poetry. To him once came Colum cille (as a guest), and he his books from the latter, and Colum cille left a (banning) word on his books, i.e. "May that as to which thou showest inhospitality be of no profit after thee!" And this has been fulfilled, for still the books remain and no one studies them.

When Lon was dead the book-satchels that were in the cell where Colum cille dwelt fell. All are silent at that noisy shaking of the books. [in L." now when he was dead all the book-satchels fall, for there were books of every science in the room in which Colum cille was; and Colum cille, and everyone in the house, marvel. Thus in LL.: This is said, that on the night of Lon-garad's death Ireland's book-satchels and her gospels and her books of instruction fell from their shelves, as if they understood that never would there come any one like Lon-garad.] Then said Colum cille: "Longarad," saith he, "the master of every art in Ossory, has just now died." "May it be long till that comes true!" says Baithine. "Disbelief (be) in thy successor!" says Colum cille. Then he made this stave: Dead is Lon of Cell Garad, great the misfortune!

For Ireland over her border 'tis ruin of study and schools.

Son of Cnes, i.e. Cnes of Dal Cethirn was his mother, i.e. Conchaide's daughter, and because of this he was called Mac nissi, i.e. (Son) of Cnes. Or Mac cneise, i.e. of Patrick's skin [cnes], for with Patrick he was fostered and used to sleep. Caeman Brecc was his real name. Fobrec was his mother's name. Oengus his own first name.

Condeire, i.e. wolf-oakwood [cuan-daire], i.e. an oakwod in which wolves used to be, i.e. (there was) an oakwod there formerly, and wolves dwelt there.

MacNessi, first Bishop of Connor.

Marginal notes from The Martyrology of Tallaght: Seven for Colmain with all of the brethren who on three occasions made vine from well water. i.e., the first time for Colum Cille, the second time for Fechine of Fobar, when he gave his eyes to him, the third time for Ruadan of Lothra (Lorrha). And that well is in darkness behind Ruadan's flagstone on the east side in his graveyard. And every one about whom water comes in that graveyard his soul is not tormented.

Colman son of Eochaid. Macc Oige (son of Oige) son of Eochaid. Diarmait son of Eochaid. Fintan son of Eochaid. Diucaill and Ternoc and the Table-faced, i.e. Fergus son of Nad Sluaid. Bishop Grellan, and Bishop Findchan, and Bishop Mellan, and Fintan mouth of Psalms, and Fechine moccu Cuinge. Odran presbyter (Priest). Coitchenn and Critan of Cenn Locha Silenn. Segan and Brandub. Colum and Ernain sons of Aed. The three pilgrims of Eirne. The three pilgrims of Loch Uane. The three sons of Dare. The seven sons of Nia. The seven sons of Eodus. Concerning the Virgins:. Darbile daughter of Muiredach. Aedammair (... )la. Ainbthine daughter of Mael Duin. Midabair. Cuppa of Cenn Locha. Comaig daughter of (Eochaid). Speroc daughter of Colum. Cuachnat. Scoth. Femoir. Blathnat. Ana. Rignach daughter of Colchan (...). Beoain mother of Colman. The seven daughters of Fergus. The seven daughters of Ingor's son. The seven daughters of Garban. The seven daughters of Lasren. The seven nuns of Druim da Dartraith Loche (or Hola) [In other places: three nuns of Druim da Dart, see May 22^nd] and the Fifty ... (at) Colman mac (son of ) nAeda in Ros mac nAeda, i.e., at Snam Luthair at Loch Eirne reposed.
 

4 Sept /17 Sept In the great sinless (?) Kingdom, wherein little ones are blooming, greatly play his children round Ultan of Ard Breccáin.

For the allusion to children in Paradise see St. Matthew 19:14- ("But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come to me; for the kingdom of heaven is for such.") [See December 28^th the Holy Innocents who were killed in Bethlehem by Herod. See Quiricus the child Martyr and thousands of martyrs June 16^th, which is noted as a great feast in the note after September 30^th. Ultan manages to save the innocents whose parents were killed by a plague, and because of this is granted by God the power to stop an invasion, although he could have stopped all future invasion if they had waited...]

Ultan quasi altan 'raxor,' for his keenness and sharpness in miracles and marvels. He used to be called 'the cleric of the children,' for after the (plague called) Buide Connaill every babe withouut maintenance was brought to Ultan, so that often fifty, or a hundred-and-fifty, of them were with him at the same time, and he himself used to feed them, i.e. the children of the women whom the Buide Connaill had killed. This is what Ultan used to do, to cut off the cows' teats...and pour milk into them, and the babes a-playing around him. [This sounds cruel to the cows, but if there were no adults to milk them, the cows would also have great pain with udders that were full to bursting, because cows need to be milked every twelve hours.]

Thus then he used to wend, with his Gospel on his back, (hanging) without any strap to it!

At that time Diarmait son of Cerball was king of Ireland. There happened (to come) a vast seafleet (of foreigners), which filled most of Erin's estuaries. Great fear affects Diarmait, and then he said: "Yon 'cleric of the children,' who wends with his Gospel on his back and no strap to it, in him let us put our trust that the plague may be taken from us." So envoys are sent from Diarmait to Ultan. Then was Ultan feeding the children when the messengers arrived, and they tell him their errands. "That is a shame," says Ultan, "that ye did not leave me alone till my right hand was free. My hand that is free, i.e. the left hand, I will raise it against these ships. But if it were my right hand no foreigner would ever invade Ireland." So that hence is (the proverb) "Ultan's left hand against the evil!"

Thus F: Then was Ultan feeding certain children, with a bit of porridge in his lips and some of it on his finger, when the king's gillie arrived. Ultan spake not to the gillie, but uplifted his left hand. Then the gillie repaired to the king and told this to him, and the king understood that the cleric had raised his left hand in order to expel the fleet. Wherefore from that time to this is (the proverb) "Ultan's left hand against every evil.'

The feeding of his fosterlings by Ultan...

He wrecked, destroyed, stranded thrice fifty ships with his left hand.

Had it been the right hand that noble Ultan raised against them from us hence

no foreigner would ever have come here or there into the land of Erin.

[F adds two quatrrains by Cron, Ultan's sister, beginning "A Cron is gnim mar."]

Moninne sang:

Not from a blow on anyone's face are all the clerics red:

'tis a little thing that whitens the visage of Ultan great-grandson of Conchobar.

'Tis great labor to strive for the height in the valley:

to strive for perfection with the Son of God, this is what would make the cheeks white.

Ultan son of Ernan, son of Gabran, son of Senach, son of Muiredach, son of Talglonn, son of Broccan, son of Cormac, son of Tadg, son of Cian, son of Ailill Olomm.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Ultan moccu Conchobair in Ard Brecain 'and soror eius Cron in Galaum Lagen' (in margin); Comgelli i.e. of Both Conais; Senain; Fiachrach; Commein Abbot of Druim Snechta; Sairbile virgo of Fochard Murthemni; Falbe son of Ronain in Cluain Airbelaig.

(TSI mentions a different Ultan who was a brother of Fursey from the seventh century, see May 2^nd, or it might be the same Ultan, if Fursa is the same one, but the Ultan on May 2^nd helped missionize France after missionizing in East Anglia.)
 

8 Sept /21 Sept  Thou shalt commemorate Mary: thou art not deadened on a scanty meal: with Timothy after (the world's) ways, and three hundreds of martyrs.

Is commemorated, i.e. Mary according the Romans. Mary's nativity is commemorated here. [not deadened] on a scanty meal, for pit means a meal, as is said thou shouldst not fast on Mary's Feast. [This is true among all Orthodox Christians, whether Byzantine or Celtic Rites: there is no fasting today.] [translator's note: So in the Greek Kalendar, the Nativity of the Theotokos (in Greek, or Deigenetrix in Latin, or Birth-giver of God in English), but in LL. 362c Birth of Mary the Mother of Jesus is at September 5^th. See the legend, O.E. Mart. Pp 164, 235.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Birth of Mary the Mother of Jesus. Eulalia; Anastasia; Britonia; Hirudinis; Faustus; Serapionis; Pius; Teophilus; Piotherus and twelve others; Nemesis; Arionus; Ammonus; Johannis; Petrus; Severinus; Dimetrus and eleven others; Dedimus; Nistorus; Mistorus; Oroseus; Isiodorus; Serapionis; Silvinus; Metrus; Orobionis and one hundred twenty two others; Severus and eleven others; Ammonis; Zefanus; Pampilus; Neotinus. Also: Fintan of Ard Cain; and the sons of Talarag; and Maeli Caisni; Fergus the Pict (cruthnech); Catha Priest son of Oengusa in Cluain Eorainne (or Eossain).

(TSI also lists Disibode who died in A.D. 700, an Irish mssionary to Bingen in Germany, afterwards called Mount St. Disibode or Disenberg overlooking the Nahe. Hildegarde von Bingen much later wrote a life of Disibode from oral tradition, whom she credited with her revelations. Although she lived after the Great Schism, her writings and Hymns have a much earlier attitude and theological outlook, especially concerning the most holy Mother of God, whose Nativity is today. Disibode was known as living an austere life, devoted to the sick and poor, and unfailing in answers to his prayers. In his mission he was accompanied by Giswold, Salust and Clement.)
 

Feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Birthgiver of God. [An earlier Irish lectionary puts this feast in early May, and says that Mary was a premature baby, but it is in all Celtic calendars at the time of Tallaght on September 8/ 21.]
 

Old Testament: Exodus 19:7-12 (For the Virgin: going up to Mount Sinai, the people cannot come too close. See note on the Thursday after XI Pentecost: concerning Galatians 4:21-31, and also Galatians 4:4-6. These readings have something to do with this Exodus reading, "...God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law..." This does not imply an immaculate conception, but a woman who is chosen, "That He might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father.")

Epistle: Eph 6:1-9 (For the Virgin: honor thy father and mother; no respect of persons in Christ.)
 

From the XV Sunday after Pentecost (do not move that Sunday, however).

Gradual: Psalm 100: 2-3

I will sing, and I will understand in the unspotted way, when Thou shalt come to me.

I walked in the innocence of my heart, in the midst of my house. I did not set before my eyes any unjust thing: I hated the workers of iniquities.

I will sing, and I will understand in the unspotted way, when Thou shalt come to me.
 

Alleluia: Psalm 100: 1, 6-7

Alleluia, Alleluia. Mercy and judgment I will sing to Thee, O Lord. My eyes were upon the faithful of the earth, to sit with me: the man that walked in the perfect way, he served me. He that worketh pride shall not dwell in the midst of my house: he that speaketh unjust things did not prosper before my eyes.

Alleluia.
 

Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary (remembering at her birth that she will be the Mother of our Lord, the most holy Birth-giver of God.) Psalm 144 entire, similar to the Magnificat (Do this on the day of this Feast. Also repeat Sunday's, if it is Psalm 100.):

I will extol Thee, O God my king: and I will bless Thy Name for ever; yea, for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee: and I will praise Thy Name for ever: yea, for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of His greatness there is no end. Generation and generation shall praise Thy works: and they shall declare Thy power. They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of Thy holiness: and shall tell Thy wondrous works. And they shall speak of the might of Thy terrible acts: and shall declare Thy greatness. They shall publish the memory of the abundance of Thy sweetness: and shall rejoice in Thy justice.

The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works. Let all thy works, O Lord, praise Thee: and let Thy Saints bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom: and shall tell of Thy power: To make Thy might known to the sons of men: and the glory of the magnificence of Thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. the Lord is faithful in all His words: and holy in all His works. The Lord lifteth up all that fall: and setteth up all that are cast down. The eyes of all hope in Thee, O Lord: and Thou givest them meat in due season. Thou openest Thy hand: and fillest with blessing every living creature.

The Lord is just in all His ways: and holy in all His works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him: to all that call upon Him in truth. He will do the will of them that fear Him: and He will hear their prayer, and save them. the Lord keepeth all them that love Him: but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy Name for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

Gospel: St. Luke 2:41-49 (Jesus teaches in the Temple at Jerusalem when He was twelve years old. This does not include the verses about the Blessed Virgin Mary keeping this in her heart, verse 51, but it shows the importance of honoring our Lord from His youth.)
 

9 Sept /22 Sept

Great the Festival that filleth countries, that shaketh swift ships, (the Festival)

of the Wright's son beyond kings, the fair feast of Cíarán of Clúain."

(TSI also mentions an Irish Saint Osmanna today, patroness of Fericy-en-Brie in France.)

The great festival of Ciaran of Cluain. Beoan the Wright, of Lathranna Molt of Dal Araidi, was his father. Now Darerca was his mother, as Ciaran himself said:

Darerca my mother, she was not a bad woman,

[translators note: meaning an excellent woman.]

Beoan the wright my father, of Latharna Molt.

In the house of the son of the wright he was reared.

Then when the proper time (?) came he asked his father to give him something by which he might effect his learning, for he meditated going to Clonard to Finnen, the tutor of Erin's Saints, in order to learn. Said Beoan: "Go through the herds," quoth he, "and what will follow thee take." A dun cow follows him, and that became 'Ciaran's Dun.' Twelve measures (of milk) it used to yield at the same time, i.e. a measure for each of the twelve Apostles of Ireland. [The Apostles of Christ: Simon, Madian (Matthias), and Matthew, Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddaeus, Peter, Andrew, Philip Paul (added later), John and the two Jameses. The twelve Apostles of Ireland: Two Finnians, two chaste Columbs, Ciaran (Sept. 9^th), Cainnech, fair Comgall, two Brenainns, Ruadan with beauty (April 15^th ?), Ninnid, Mo-bi, son of Natiraech, i.e. Molaise [Fiacc?] (Sept 12^th). See July 15^th for the commemoration of the Twelve Apostles. St. Patrick is called an Apostle in the Celtic Missal (also called the Lorrha Missal, the Gospel of St. Mael Ruain, or the Stowe Missal).]

Now when Ciaran was beginning to make a Gospel with Finnen, Colum cille came to Finnen to study. "Dost thou deem it pious (?) to make a Gospel?" says Finnen to him, "for every one is making it. Ciaran alone has the book of it." "It is pious," says Colum cille, "and I will go to Ciaran." He goes accordingly. Ciaran was then preparing his Gospel lesson, and this especially is what he said: "Whatsoever ye wish men to do unto you, that do ye unto them." Colum cille enters the hut. "Dost thou share the book with me?" says Colum cille. "It is not easy (says Ciaran) for me to refuse it, since that which we have just said is against us unless we give it. So let the book with (my) blessing, be thine," says Ciaran. "Half of Ireland to thee!" says Colum cille. [Another version given in TSI under Ninnidh, January 18^th.]

Now when Ciaran finished his work, he asked Finnen, "What shall be done?" "Let it be with what follows (thee)," says Finnen. Thereafter she (the dun cow) follows Ciaran, so that her hide is the goodly relic which is called 'the Hide of Ciaran's Dun.'

Three and thirty years had Ciaran completed when he died. Ireland's Saints had fasted for his death, for the whole of Ireland would have been his had not that been done. Odran of Letracha Odrain and Mac cuillinn of Lusk went to relate to him for what they had fasted. "Ye have permission.. To go to sain the air before us," says Ciaran, "and what ye seek will be given to you." So then he composed the verses beginning:-

Stay for me, O King of splendid heaven. [The poem is in LL. 374c: cf. Also Cormac's Glossary, s.v. cacaid.]

Cutting short Ciaran's life, and sending Colum cille over sea, and expelling Mochutu from Rathen, those are the three bad stories of the Saints of Erin. The three worst counsels that were done through the counsel of the Saints, i.e. cutting short Ciaran's life, and banishing Colum cille, and putting Mochutu out of Rathen. [See March 11^th.]

Now Patrick had foretold him (Ciaran) three score years before his birth. Comlach, Patrick's leper, went oversea to collect Saints' relics and he brought the relics to the place where Bothcraind (or 'a wooden bothy') is today. A great elm-tree was there then with a hollow in it. The book-satchel is put into the hollow and the satchel in which were the relics. On the morrow they arise. Though they were quick, they saw neither the hollow nor the satchel. They fall to cutting the tree and nothing can they do to it, for every chip which they struck from it would come again upon it. Thereafter Comlach goes into Connaught an tells (this) to Patrick. "'Tis true," says Patrick: "those relics are not superfluous for him who shall come there; for, at the end of three score years from today, a son, of whom Erin and Alba will be full, will be born, and there will he his church, and (only) one in a hundred out of it will be in hell, and there will be thy own relics," says Patrick. "They will not be," says Comlach, "unless thy relics shall be there(also)." "My debroth," says Patrick, "I am willing if God is willing." Accordingly Patrick's relics are in the griandal of Clonmacnois, as others think.

Ciaran son of Beoan, son of Olcan, son of Corc, son of Cuiniu, son of Cuinnid, son of Fiac, son of Mal, son of Carthach, son of Laisre, son of Lasrin, son of Altra (?), son of Gluinech, son of Corpre, son of Lug, son of Mid, son of Dub, son of Lugna, son of Feidlimid, son of Eochaid, son of Bresal Ban, son of Dega, son of Reo-soirche.

(This is a different Ciaran than Ciaran of Saiger commemorated March 5^th, but also very early.)

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Gorgonus Martyr; Hacuntus; Alexandrus; Tiburtus; Donatus; Eleasus; Iacintus; Fortunatus; Liberatus; Deusius; Geurgius; Damianus Martyr and eight hundred others; Eugulfus; Ciricus; Johannis. Also: Ciaran son of the wright (mac in tsaer); Findbarr i.e. Broednea of Cell Cunga and Fer da Crich and Saint Cerae. Mochotae i.e. son of Dergain of Druim; Saint Darerca; Conall son of Oengussa i.e. the poet (in t-eices); Aithgen Bishop of Mag Bile (Movilla); Noebingena (holy daughters or maidens) of Enach Loeg.

TSI has a long article about "Kieran of Clonmacnoise" (Ciaran of Cluain) who died in A.D. 545, tracing the history of the monastery of Clonmacnoise. It is located where the ancient chariot road crosses the Shannon river. Ciaran saw Diarmuid MacCearbhail sailing down the river, and Ciaran called to him, "Come to me for you are a king and mark out the church and offer the harbor to me." "I am not a king," said Diarmuid. Ciaran replied, "You will be king tomorrow." Four centuries later, artists show Ciaran and Diarmuid together setting the first stake, on the Cross of the Scriptures. Some say after seven months, and some say after seven years, Ciaran died of the plague, but his Eclais Beg (little church) where he is buried is a place of pilgrimage. The Imda Chieran or cow-skin which was his bed is a holy relic. Ciaran's father was Beoit a chariot-maker from Antrim, his mother was the Kerry-born Darerca, so he had northern and southern parentage. After Armagh Clonmacnoise was the greatest monastic school, laying claim to a league of churches that covered half of Ireland. Its center of learning and literature combined secular and religious study, Gaelic and Latin historical records (see Fiacc October 12^th). The Book of the Dun Cow, the Annals of Tigernach (Tierney), the Annals of Clonmacnoise were all compiled there.

Those who were famous in Clonmacnoise include Fogartach (Fogarty) the Sage commemorated with a Cross. (Later famous people included Arno who succeeded Virgilius as Bishop of Salzburg Austria, and Colgu teacher of Alcuin. Alcuin said that he had trouble receiving letters from Colgu, and unfortunately Alcuin changed the Irish lectionary so that the Lections and Psalms would not be sequential, but he did claim some Irish instruction.) Suibhne (Sweeney) who died in A.D. 810 was teacher of geographer Dicuil whose works finished in 825, and had information about the Nile River and the Red Sea found nowhere else, which came from 8^th century Irish pilgrims to Jerusalem, and also had information about Iceland from Irish monks.

Believing that St. Ciaran would bring all to heaven who rested in his graveyard, "those of the royal blood divided it among themselves." These include king Diarmuid who made large grants after a victory over Guaire (also buried there), and saying that no king of Meath should take as much as a drink of water from there without paying for it. The 10^th century Abbot Flann built the stone cathedral and also the Cross of the Scriptures. Connacht King Fergal O'Rourke built the oldest now existing part of the round tower. Conchobar brought a gift of many townlands and asked to be buried there in the eleventh century. Later kings were also buried there.

Although the Danes under Turgesius tried to defile Clonmacnoise, Turgesius installing his wife Ota as priestess to be an oracle on the high altar, Clonmacnoise survived and rebuilt. It was not destroyed until the Anglo-Normans who began plundering it in 1178. Later in the reformation, queen Elizabeth I of England destroyed the city.
 

10 Sept / 23 Sept

A kingpost of red gold with purity, over the swelling (?) sea (he came) with law,

a sage for whom Ireland is sad, Findbarr of Mag Bili.

Findbarr, i.e. of Mag bile (Movilla) in Ulster. Findbarr i. Finden. What this verse says is that it was Finden of Mag Bile first brought the law of Moses into Ireland. Or it is to the Gospel that the name of 'law,' was given this, or it is Findia that first brought the whole Gospel to Ireland, for it is Finnian of Mag bile that brought Colman's Gospel to Ireland. [translators note - A less creditable achievement is ascribed to this Saint in the preface to the hymn of S. Mugint, infra November 1^st. If this is the same Finden, then his learning and teaching of the law came after repentance, but that is also true of other Saints. "Bringing of the law" may also be a sarcastic reference: St. Paul says that although Christians uphold the law, they must follow the Holy Spirit. See the Epistle to the Romans. The Celtic people had their own law: the Brehon law, which was very detailed and fair.]

Finnian of Mag bile, son of Cairbre, son of Ailill, son of Trichem, son of Fiacc, son of Imchad, son of Bresal, son of Sirchad, son of Fiacha the Fair.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Euepia and eight hundred others; Cursicus; Hisicus; Silvasius; Hielinus; Dedimus; Mereforus; Augustus; Nectarus Bishop; Depletorus; Mauriolioris; Zarius; Salvus; Tursus; Zefanus; Merosorus; Hilarius Pope; Johannis and Paulus. Also: Finnio moccu Fiatach; Senaig Gairb (the rough), or Bide's son; Findbair of Mag [Bile] and Saint Segeni Abbot of Bennchor (Bangor); Ailbi of (Imlig) Imlech; Lucill and Odran; Ferbus son of Guaire.

TSI says about Finian of Movila that Mahee Island (Mochaoi, the former Abbot of the Abbey) in County Down was Finian's first school and his teacher was a older seminarian, Colman later of Dromore. The Abbot of Rosnat in North Briton came to visit Mochaoi and Finian went with him when he departed. Finian was in Scotland 20 years as a student and then a missionary. Finian's activity on the east coast of Scotland (Pictland) reached as far north as Dornoch, and there are dedications in his name in Ayreshire, Angus, Caithness according to the historian Simpson. He made a pilgrimage to Rome in about 540, and returned to Ireland to Movilla, only five miles from Bangor. Finian brought Biblical manuscripts from Rome, and Oengus says that he brought the Mosaic Law to Ireland (although a sad tale from his youth seems to indicate that he literally "brought" the law down on himself in his youth - see the reference November 1^st in Oengus' glossator). This would have been more than a Psalter, because the Psalms were already in use. Colm cille transcribed that "preciously conceived" manuscript at Dromin, the Psalter now in the Irish Academy in Dublin called the Cathach of the O'Donnells. (Scholars believe that there was musical notation hidden in the illumination, which is why Colm cille wanted to copy that particular manuscript: Colm cille had been brought up as a bard as well as a cleric.) The school of Movilla had many students. Finian's penitential Code, 53 canons for his monks still exists in manuscripts in the libraries of St. Gall, Paris, and Vienna. Finian died A.D. 575. Tradition says that "he sleeps among miracles in his own city of Movilla."
 

11 Sept /24 Sept

The Passion of Protus and Hyacinthus: it was with abundance of sorrow.

Sillán, the psalm of every sick man, is sung in fair Imbliuch (Cassáin).

The passion of Protus and Hyacinthus (Pais or Prothi and Iacinthi), there were two eunuchs who came to the Faith with Eugenia i.e. two eunuchs of Eugenia and with her, they came to the Faith.Or i.e. two men of Eugenia's family. Frothi i.e. in Rome. (See December 24^th and March 16^th. See notes about Protus and Hyacinthus on March 16th.)

Sillan, i.e. from Imbliuch Cassain in Cualnge. Salm, i.e. oratio, of every feeble one, i.e. every one who used to be in sore sickness: for this was the wish of them all, to see the hair of Sillan's eyebrow so that they might die swiftly, for this was the peculiarity of that hair, every one who would see it in the morning died at once. Now Sillan happened (to come) to Lethglenn, and Molaisse comes early in the morning round the graveyard. Sillan of the Hair happens to meet him. "This hair," says Molaisse, "shall not be killing every one," plucking it out perforce. Then Molaisse, after seeing the hair, dies at once, and hence Sillan dictus est (Sillan of the Hair).

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Prothus; Iacinthus; Eugenia; Sirus; Eulelia; Maria; Musa; Basilla; Ypolitus; Serapionis; Felicis; Militiadis; Patientis; Donatus and thirty others; Petrus; Johannis; Toma. Also: Sillain in Imlech Cassain in Cualnge; Colmain Bishop of Ailbe; Conamail; Daniel Bishop of Bennchor (Bangor);

Mosinu.
 

12 Sept /25 Sept

Celebrate Ailbe's Feast with Fled the luminous (and) buoyant;

on the Feast of Laissrén the beautiful from multitudinous Daminis.

Of Ailbe i.e. from Imlech Ibair.

Ailbe son of Olcan, son of Arra, son of Dala, son of Laiter, son of Imros, son of Fer-tlachta, son of Celtchar.

Fled, i.e. name of a virgin in the Fortuatha of Leinster, daughter of a king of Leinster, of Tech Fleide in Hui Garrchon.

Lassren, i.e. Molaisse of Daminis, from Loch Erne, i.e. Molaisse son of Natfraich, of Daminis, of the Eoganacht of Cashel was he, and one of the twelve Bishops of Erin. (See September 9^th for the list.)

Molaisse son of Natfraich, son of Barran, son of Conbran, son of Tuilsiu, son of Dega, son of Cronn, son of Eochaid, son of Lugaid, son of Mros, son of Imchad, son of Cass, son of Feidlimid, son of Cas, son of Fiacha Araide.

Molaisse of Daiminis, i.e. son of Natfraich: on Loch Erne he is. Molaisse sang:

The land we found has been found, a broad loch is our mountain-field,

a common cemetery from Gaels, God the Father's own domain.

Dam-inis, i.e. the oxen (daim) of Conall the Red son of Daimine, used to be therein. (Hence) it was named.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Timotheus; Sirus; Epulus; Serapionis; Petrus; Ipolitus; Sanetina; Maria; Tecla; Herclius; Transilus; Teophilus; Eusebius Bishop; Zefanus; Julianus; Laurentius; Celsus. Also: Molassi son of Nad Fraich of Daminis; Ailbei Bishop of Imlech (Ibair); Colmani bishoop of Abla (?); son of Lasre (Meic Lasre).

Note from TSI, Ailbe or Ailbhe was among four native pre-Patrician Irish Bishops who received consecration in Rome. These were Ailbhe, Ibar, Declan, and Kieran (Ciaran) of Saigher or Saiger. This history comes from Benedictine monks, but Oengus himself says that St. Ciaran brought the city of Saiger to Christianity 30 years before St. Patrick -see the Feast of St. Ciaran, March 5^th.

She says that Moran, tracing Irish Saints in Britain, quotes the Bollandists who say that David of Wales was born of an Irish mother, and Ailbhe of Emly Baptized David. Ailbhe built the church at Emly, 14 miles west of Cashel, and a monastic school was with it. The school, important in the sixth century, was in existence for 300 years before it was burned by the Vikings. Oengus also places Ailbe on December 30^th, and he should be commemorated on both dates, in September and December. (See Sedulius Feb. 12^th: it says that the name Ailbe was Germanized in some manuscripts as Hildebert, according to Colgan; St. Sedulius was first trained by St. Ailbe.)
 

14 Sept /27 Sept

To thee leaps the Feast of Coemán Brecc, with a learned (?) pair:

the chaste Passion of vast Cyprian; fair suffering of Cornelius.

of Coeman Brecc, i.e. Caeman Brecc, from Ross ech in Caille Fallamain in Meath is he, and Mac Rustaing along wiith him, and the pair of them were children of the same mother. Or in Ross liac is Caeman Brec. Now the grave of Mac Rustaing is in Ross ech. No woman can see it sine crepitu ventris eius, or without a loud foolish laugh afterwards: as says the poet:

1. Critan was noble Mac Rustaing's name, Garbdaire was the name of Mac Samain,

2. Mac Rustaing's grave thou sayest in Ross ech without shame,

If she sees it every woman talks, steps on it and laughs aloud.

[translator added Latin, which was not in the original Irish text... it might be embarrassing.]

Cornelius, Pope of Rome, Cornelius the Bishop ruled the church of the city of Rome under Gallianus and Valerianus for fifteen years and when he received the crown of Martyrdom Lucius succeeded him.

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in Africa, etc. Cyprian the African was at first taught rhetoric with great acclaim. Then he was made a Christian. At Cicilus' urging he gave up all he possessed, and afterward he was installed as Bishop of Carthage. Whose genius is abundantly documented by the clarity of his works.. He suffered during the persecution under the princes Valerianus and Gallianus eight days quo Cornelius suffered at Rome but not in the same year.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Cornelius Pope in Rome and Ciprianus Bishop in Cartagine (Carthage); Dionisius Bishop and three others; Saturus; Felicis; Honorus; Dimetrus; Zeta; Maria; Romula; Epartius and eighteen others; Johannis; Petrus; Zefanus; Matheus. Also: Coeman Becc at Ros Ech in Caille Follamain; the daughters of Colum in the Cremthanna; Mael Tolaig of Druim Faindle (or Druim Niad. In some sources the last two names are under September 13^th).

(Today is the repose of St. John Chrysostom, the "Golden-Mouthed." The Byzantine Rite celebrates his feast on November 13^th. The Celtic Rite confuses him with St. John Cassian, saying "Bishop of Constantinople" on November 25^th, probably referring to St. John Chrysostom. See November 25^th. On January 27^th is the Roman Rite celebration of the translation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom to Constantinople in 438 A.D., together with the emperor of Constantinople begging for forgiveness for the deeds of his father for having banished, and essentially causing the death of St. John Chrysostom in exile. St. John Chrysostom reposed during his forced march in 407 A.D., on September 14^th, a Feast of the Holy Cross, and eve of the Dedication.)
 

15 Sept /28 Sept

At the consecration of the basilica of Mary, a strong rampart:

Cyrinus without vainglory went with a great host to Martyrdom.

Dedication of the Basilica of Mary, an important Feast date in the Celtic Rite, including special Lections for both the Church and Baptistry. Of the basilica, i.e. a church, basilica (basilikh), i.e. a royal house. [The term for king in Greek is "Basil" and is related to the herb "basil" which is related to sweetness. On the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, this Greek word for king: "Basil" would have appeared, along with the Latin word for king: "Regis," and the Hebrew word for king: "Malak." This Basilica of Mary was the first large Christian Church, and on this day all church buildings may be commemorated. While a church dedicated to another Saint may have a special celebration on that Saint's Feast day, in any case there should be some commemoration on September 15^th / 28^th for the founding of all churches and their dedication to God. September 14^th is the date of the True Cross according to the Byzantine calendar. The finding of the True Cross is May 3^rd and is much more important than the presentation of the Cross in Jerusalem. The conversion of St. Constantine with the Cross in the sky which said, "in this sign conquer," is only part of the conversion of St. Constantine: see the Throne of St. Peter which states that Constantine was cured from leprosy. Still, the Cross should be an important part of the Feast of the Dedication. Also see the Feast of Ss. John and James, December 27^th. This date makes sense as the dedication of a Basilica to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as it is the Octave of her Nativity. A later post-schism Roman holiday, the "sorrows of the Virgin Mary" is on this day; perhaps Our Lady weeps for the Church on earth on the date of the dedication of the first Basilica to her. It would also seem that St. Peter's Basilica in Rome should have a secondary importance to St. Mary's Basilica in Jerusalem. However, since the time that the Basilica of St. Mary in Jerusalem was built, the location of our Lord Jesus Christ's Sepulchre was found in Jerusalem, and now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at that location is the most important Church building in the world. At the time of the Crucifixion of our Lord, the place of Crucifixion and His burial were outside the walls of Jerusalem, but ten years later in 40 A.D., Jerusalem was expanded so that the place of the Crucifixion and burial were inside the walls. Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. There is a note concerning this written by the glossator of Oengus at the Finding of the True Cross, May 3^rd. Although the Romans had built a pagan temple over the place of the Crucifixion and burial of Christ after those events, the Christians remembered the location where these events had taken place. Constantine the Great removed the pagan temple entirely, and was responsible for building the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Since the important date of church dedications was already September 15^th, it may have been planned to present the True Cross in Jerusalem on the 14^th.]

Bonifacius the fourth Bishop in Rome from Gregory, demanded from Focatis, the prince, contribution to the Church.

Cyrinus, a Bishop and Martyr.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Dedication of the basilica of Mary Cirinus Bishop; Serapionis; Leontus; Epactus Bishop; Zefanus; Crocus; Seleucus; Artheus; Valerius; Cirionis; Merobus; Stratoris; Paulus Bishop; Gordianus Bishop; Arcionus; Paulinus Bishop; Constantius; Joseph; Maglaconus; Galitia; Maria; Sinclitica; Nicodimus; Serapionis; Leontus and nine others. Also: Lassar of Cluain Mor; Ainmere of Cluain Fota; the sons of Tadg (Meic Taidc).
 

Feast of the Dedication, Commemoration of the True Cross (September 15th /September 28th.)

Feast of the Dedication of the First Church in Jerusalem (and all churches) and the True Cross.

Note: the XVI Sunday after Pentecost Gradual and Alleluia, Psalm 102, also pertains to this Feast. On this Feast we also bless the Name of the Lord. Do not move that Gradual and Alleluia to the Sunday nearest this Feast, however.

Old Testament: Gen. 28:10-22 (Jacob has the vision of the ladder to heaven, and also dedicates the spot to God as a place of worship forever.)

Epistle: I Corinthians. 3:9-17 ("...For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus... you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you...")
 

Gradual: Psalm 134: 1-3 (Or do the entire Psalm as a Sequence.)

Praise ye the Name of the Lord, O you, His servants, praise the Lord:

You that stand in the house of the Lord; in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing ye to His Name, for it is sweet.

Praise ye the Name of the Lord, O you, His servants, praise the Lord:
 

Alleluia: Psalm 134: 5-6, 13-14

Alleluia, Alleluia. For I have known that the Lord is great: and our God is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased He hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps. Thy Name, O Lord, is for ever Thy memorial, O Lord, unto all generations. For the Lord will judge His people: and will be entreated in favor of His servants.

Alleluia.
 

Or Psalm 134 entire:

Praise ye the Name of the Lord, O you, His servants, praise the Lord: You that stand in the house of the Lord; in the courts of the house of our God. Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing ye to His Name, for it is sweet. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself: Israel for His own possession. For I have known that the Lord is great: and our God is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased He hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.

He bringeth up clouds from the end of the earth: He hath made lightnings for the rain. He bringeth forth winds out of His stores: He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast. He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of thee, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants. He smote many nations: and slew mighty kings: Sehon king of the Amorhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan. And gave their land for an inheritance: for an inheritance to His people Israel.

Thy Name, O Lord, is for ever: Thy memorial, O Lord, unto all generations. For the Lord will judge His people: and will be entreated in favor of His servants. The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands. They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not. They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths. Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusteth in them. Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron. Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord. Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, Who dwelleth in Jerusalem.
 

Gospel: St. John 10:22-28; (The Feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem in winter. The sheep hear the voice of Christ, and Christ gives them life everlasting.)

Reading in the Baptistry (Special Final Gospel, commemorating the people coming to a church building to see the prayers and Liturgies?) St. Luke 19:1-10 (Zacheus climbs the tree, and when Christ goes to his house for dinner offers half of his goods to the poor, and is saved.)
 

16 Sept /29 Sept

A great trio that is not wretched: my Ninn, the cry of every mouth:

in Iona Laissrén the happy, with Laissrén the great of Min.

a trio, i.e. three great chiefs, i.e. Moenenn of Cluain Conairi Toman in the north of Hui Faelain, Laissren Abbot of Iona, and Laissren Mor, i.e. Laisren of Men, great-grandson of Loeguire.

Laissren of the Men, i.e. Molaisse of Men-crochat, i.e. Men name of a river with a bridge (drochat) across it, and in Leix it is. Or of Men-crochet, i.e. min-drochet ('smooth bridge'): a certain congregation of many Saints was once for some reason at that town and a certain robber, one of the inhabitants, said: "Smoothly do all those come to us tonight," as if he said "industriously they come;" and one of the visitors said: "This shall be till doomsday the name of the place, Mindroichet." (This date is considered to be the Irish Solstice, see note at end of September.)

Molaisse, great-grandson of Lugar. In Hui Fairchellain is his church.

Laissren Abbot of Colum cille's Hi. With Laissren of Men, i.e. Molaisse of Men-crochait, i.e. The River called Men, and there is a great confluence (?) across it, and in Leix it is.

Laissren, i.e. Abbot of Colum cille's Hi. Molaisse of Mena drochit. Mena nomen amnis and (there is) a bridge across it, and from it the church is named, and Molaisse great-grandson of Logar in Hui Fairchellain is his church. Or Min, a great river which is between Dalaradia and Tyrone, and Molaisse is on its brink. [Colum cille's Hi is Colum cille's Iona.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Felix; Alexandrus; Zefanus; Viatoris; Spepatus; Lolatus; Priscianus; Tussus; Johannis; Salvus; Johannis; Prisizatus; Papia; Secunda; Maria; Donata; Bessia; Generosa; Cicilia; Romula; Galla; Emerentiana; Merentiana; Eufemia. Also: Monenn of Cluain Conaire; Lasrain Abbot in Hi (Iona) of Colum Cille; Molasse moccu Lugair; Critain of Airene; Senain; Sarain; Cathboth; Colman; Coeman; Anfodan; Auxilius.
 

17 Sept / Euphemia without reproach, tell her Passion at a year's end,

30 Sept Broccán of Ross Tuirc thou shouldst declare, at the excellent Feast of Ríaguil.

Euphemia a virgin and Martyr. [In some martyrologies Sept. 16^th.] Feme Cairell's daughter, a Virgin and Martyr, i.e. Feme of the prayer (?) in Mag Itha.

Of Ross tuirc, i.e. in Mag Raigni in Ossory and in Cluain Imarchuir, i.e. Flannan son of Toirdelbach came sometimes to the place, so that he was carried into the meadow, and hence Cluain Imorchuir, 'meadow of carrying,' is said.

Of Riaguil, i.e. Riaguil from Mucc-inis on Loch Derg.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Valerianus; Gordianus; Magrinus; Constantius; Sanctinus; Paulinus; Maronius; Gaudianus; Dordianus; Laurentius; Isicus Bishop; Calcidonus; Socratis; Zefanus; Paliosus; Petrus; Mauricius; passion of Eufemia virgin; Constantia; Maria; Trinsille. Also: Broccain i.e. of Ros Tuirc; Grellain Bishop i.e. from Lann (also Sept 18^th); Herci Bishop from Domnach Mor Maige Coba (or Maige Damhairne); Cummine Abbot i.e. of Damoirne (or of Bennchor - Bangor); Riaguil of Muccinis.

TSI lists Roding, Rodingus, or Rouin today, an Irish misionary to France who died A.D. 680. Roding was another companion of Columbanus of Luxeuil (see November 23^rd) and St. Gall (see October 16^th). Roding became the Abbot and founder of Beaulieu in the Argonne. His ancient monastery is still there. (A biography was written of Roding before 1046 by Richard of St. Vannes.)
 

19 Sept / 2 Oct

He sped with a famous multitude, to Christ, a loveable satisfaction -

with the host of preeminent kings, Januarius, a dear commemoration!

(In Italy known as San Gennaro)

Januarius, i.e. a Martyr, and Priest of the Bishop Felix of the city of Tapstuae. [Enair in Irish. He is celebrated in and around Naples, Italy, where blood in a reliquary turns liquid every year on his Feast day, and the area is protected from the volcano there, to this day. See National Geographic articles on the subject. This reminds us that we must ask the Saints for their intercessions, because often they protect us from dangers that are very great. Science may try to study volcanos, but only faith in our Lord Jesus Christ may move mountains, St. Matthew 17:19-20.]

[See also April 8^th and July 10^th - not known if these are the same St. Januarius.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Januarius Martyr; Dimetrus; Castoris; Anicetus; Diapolus; Paleus; Nilius; Parus; Madielus; Saturus; Trofus; Ferilus; Militus; Iorgius Bishop. Also: son of Cuigi Priest; Zefanus; Ancus; Fintani Abbot; Comgell virgo.
 

21 Sept / 4 Oct

May the hostful champion protect us into the high sparkling station,

the bright sun with beauty, Matthew the strong shining rampart!

St. Matthew, an Apostle [and Evangelist], Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist was beheaded in the church near the altar in che city called Dana which is in Ethiopia under the king Nirtgo ( Hyrtaco?) In Ethiopia he suffered.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Mateus Apostle and Evangelist and Luca Evangelist; Edonus; Victoris; Sedrac Bishop; Eufemia and twenty six other Martyrs; Johannis; Julianus; Zefanus; Petrus; Ciricus; Mammetis; Clementis. Also: Saran son of Tigernain (or Tigernach) son of Moenach.

The Celtic dates of the celebration of St. Luke the Evangelist include the Ordination of St. Luke March 15^th, September 21^st, the Passion of St. Luke October 1^st, and the translation of the relics of St. Luke on October 18^th. For the history of the Evangelist Luke see October 1^st.

A short history of the Apostle and Evangelist St. Matthew.

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew was the son of Alphaeus, and he was also known as Levi, and before his conversion he was a tax collector. The people of his country despised him, because he collected taxes for the Romans, and also usually publicans such as he were corrupt and kept some of the money for themselves. He was the brother of the Apostle James the son of Alphaeus. Although Matthew was a sinner, he was no worse than the Pharisees, as our Lord taught in the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 18:9-14, "...for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." No wonder that St. Matthew, when writing the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, records so many wonderful teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, beginning with the Beatitudes in Chapter 5, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for there is the kingdom of heaven..." St. Matthew witnessed this great Sermon before he was called as a disciple, according to his Gospel. But when he was invited to follow Jesus by the Lord Himself, St. Matthew immediately gave up his tax collecting and followed Him (St. Matthew 9:9). Jesus also came to St. Matthew's house and dined with him and his tax collecting friends, to the horror of the Pharisees (St. Matthew 9:10-13), but Jesus reminded the Pharisees that, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." St. Matthew was one of the Twelve chosen by Jesus (St. Matthew chapter 10), and witnessed the miracles and teachings of Jesus, as well as following the orders of Christ to go out and teach and heal. St. Matthew especially taught among the people of Galilee, Judaea, and around Palestine. After the Lord's Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, St. Matthew remained near Jerusalem long enough to write the Gospel of St. Matthew in the dialect of Hebrew known to Jesus called Aramaic (Eastern Syriac), which was commonly used by the Jews after their captivity in Babylon, and was the language spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ when he taught in Israel. The Jewish Christians in Jerusalem had requested St. Matthew to write the Gospel. According to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (Patriarch there from A.D. 634 to 638), St. Matthew "was the first to compose the Gospel of Christ, in Judea in the Hebrew language for those of the circumcision who believed. It is unknown by whom it was later translated into Greek."

St. Sophronius states about the Gospel of St. Matthew, "The Hebrew text is preserved to this day (in the 600ds) in the library of Caesarea that was most diligently assembled by the Martyr Pamphilus. The Nazarenes of Berroia in Syria, who use this text, gave me permission to copy it. From this one is easily convinced that where the Evangelist makes use of the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, either himself, or in the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he does not follow the authority of the Seventy [the Septuagint - Greek Old Testament], but of the Hebrew text. It is from the latter that these two passages come: "Out of Egypt have I called My Son" [St. Matthew 2:15, from Hosea 11:1, Exodus 4:22 Israel the nation-Son, Psalm 2:7, Psalm 115:16 Greek Septuagint or 116:16 KJV, Romans 9:4-8] and "He shall be called a Nazarene" [St. Matthew 2:23, from Numbers 6:2-21, the term "Nazirite" or "Nazarite" means one separated, or consecrated to God, Judges 13:5-7, 16:17 about Samson living his entire life "for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb," and Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah as a rod - netzer - out of the stem of Jesse]. In Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us." is a quote from Isaiah 7:14, in the original Hebrew of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and also the translation in the Greek Septuagint, but not in modern Hebrew Bibles. There was a change in Hebrew texts after the first century to suppress this line from Isaiah because it predicted the birth of Jesus Christ. The fact that St. Matthew referred to the original Hebrew Scriptures according to St. Sophronius is important, because it shows that the Hebrew text also included the original wording of Isaiah. (For a summary of the Septuagint, which was used as the reference for most of the Christian use from Apostolic times, see St. Simeon at the Presentation of the Lord, February 2^nd.)

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew's contribution as the writer of the first Gospel is underlined at the service of the "Opening of the Ears" of the Catechumens and Faithful before the Liturgy of Palm Sunday in the Celtic Rite. We hear about all four Gospels: "The Gospel is properly called the Good Announcement and particularly, it is the announcement/ Annunciation of Jesus Christ our Lord: However, the Gospel is descended from Him because it announces and discloses these things which were spoken through His Prophets: He came in the flesh: as was written: I have said: Behold I am with you.

"Briefly, this is an explanation of what is the Gospel: who are these four who were indicated by the Prophet? Now we assign figures and names to each based what was indicated by the Prophet Ezechial: 'the aspects of those to the right, the first was like unto the Face of a man, the second like unto the face of a Lion ; of those the left the first was like the face of a bull and the second what that of an Eagle.' It is without a doubt that those four figures stand for these four Evangelists, but the names of those who wrote the Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John."

After reading the beginning of the Gospel of St. Matthew, the first chapter up to verse 18, it states:

"Beloved Brethren, let us explain to you why each one has its particular image and why Matthew is represented by the figure of a man: It is because the beginning of Matthew's Gospel gives nothing except the birth of the Savior: he tells us of the unabridged order of the generations."

The "Opening of the Ears" continues to explain the symbols in each of the four Gospels, of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John. In the book, The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew, the tradition of the Orthodox Church that the Gospel of St. Matthew was written first is emphatically stated in the Preface, by both Sophronius of Jerusalem, and also by Blessed Theophylact (who lived from about A.D. 1050 to about A.D. 1108). Blessed Theophylact states that a Jew who believes in Christ is content to know that Christ is descended from Abraham and king David, and the first Gospel was mainly written for the Jews who were followers of Jesus Christ. Blessed Theophylact states that the Gospel of St. Matthew was composed eight years after the Ascension of Christ. The Gospel of St. Mark who was a disciple of St. Peter and one of the Seventy disciples of Christ other than the Twelve most important Apostles was composed ten years after the Ascension of Christ. The Gospel of St. Luke, also one of the Seventy disciples, was written fifteen years after the Ascension of Christ. The Gospel of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist was written thirty two years after the Ascension of Christ.

Blessed Theophylact quotes four passages from the Gospel of St. Matthew, and shows how the four Gospels may teach us the virtues of courage (Matthew 10:28), prudence (Matthew 10:16), righteousness (Matthew 7:12), and self-control (Matthew 5:28). He also states, "For another reason are there four Gospels: because these are pillars of the world. As the world is divided into four parts: east, west, north, and south, it was right that there also be four pillars. And for another reason are there four Gospels: because these contain four elements: teachings, commandments, warnings, and promises. To those who believe the teachings and observe the commandments, God promises the good things that are to come. But those who do not believe the teachings and do not keep the commandments, He threatens with the punishments that are to come." He makes four divisions of the good things announced by the Gospels as well, "namely, remission of sins, being counted as righteous, ascent into the heavens, and adoption as sons by God. It also announces that we can receive these things easily. For we ourselves have not labored to obtain these good things, nor have we received them as a result of our own accomplishments, but by God's grace and love for man we have been deemed worthy of such good things." (The four books, The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to... are highly recommended reading. The first three are translated and published by Chrysostom Press, P.O. Box 536, House Springs, MO 63051. They are also available through St. Nectarios Press.)

St. Matthew left Jerusalem soon after he wrote the Gospel of St. Matthew, and preached the Good News in many lands. He worked in Macedonia, Syria, Persia, Parthia, and Media, and in other places, establishing churches where he went. He patiently suffered tortures, beatings, thirst and hunger, and God helped him endure these. His lot was to go to Ethiopia, and he traveled all through that country, enlightening that country.

Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he traveled to another country where there were cannibals, to a city called Mirmena. There he converted several souls to Christ, and built a little church, appointing his fellow traveler Platon as Bishop there. The Apostle sought quiet in some place so that he could pray to God for these people, and he climbed a mountain not far from there and fasted, asking God for the conversion of that nation. He stayed in the open, not seeking even the shelter of a cave. The Lord appeared to him as a very handsome youth holding a staff in his right hand. The youth greeted Matthew and held out the staff to him, telling Matthew to plant the staff outside the door of the church he had built, and it would grow into a great tree with wonderful fruit and a stream of pure water flowing under it. Those who wash in the water will gain the beauty of the grace of God, and those who eat the fruit will forget their habits of aggression and become meek persons.

Matthew descended the mountain with the staff. On the way, he met the wife and son of the ruler of the city (named Fulvian), who were possessed of demons, as many in the city were. They cried out, "Who hath sent thee hither with that staff, for our destruction?" St. Matthew expelled the unclean spirits, and they were healed, fell down before the Apostle, and meekly followed him. Bishop Platon came with his clergy to greet Matthew, and when Matthew came to the church, he planted his staff. As everybody watched, the staff grew into a great tree with leaves and fruit, and a stream flowing from the roots. The entire city came to see the wonder, and they ate the fruit and drank the water. The Apostle Matthew stood at a high place and preached the Word of God to them in their own language, and they all believed, and were Baptized in the miraculous spring. All of them changed in appearance to a peaceful and beautiful expression.

Prince Fulvian was very happy that his wife was healed, but later became angry because the entire city was leaving its gods. Demons convinced him to destroy the Apostle Matthew, but Jesus Christ appeared to Matthew, telling him to have courage, and He would stay with Matthew through the coming trial. At dawn the Apostle Matthew chanted the praises to God in the Church. The prince sent four warriors to arrest Matthew, but darkness surrounded them, and they almost couldn't turn back. The prince asked them why they had not brought Matthew, and they said, "We heard him discoursing, but we could neither see nor lay hold of him." Fulvian sent more warriors, armed this time, and if anybody should oppose them they were instructed to slay them. But they also returned without Matthew, because this time a light from heaven was around Matthew, so bright they were unable to see him, and they threw down their weapons and ran away half dead with fear. Fulvian was full of anger, and with servants went to Matthew to seize Matthew himself. But when he reached the Apostle, he was also struck blind and needed a guide. He asked the Apostle to forgive him of his sin, and the Apostle made the Sign of the Cross over the eyes of Fulvian and cured him.

But the soul of Fulvian was still blind, and he thought Matthew cured him by sorcery, not the power of God. He took St. Matthew's hand to lead him to the palace, pretending to honor him, but intending to burn Matthew at the stake as a warlock. But St. Matthew knew his intentions, and said, "False tyrant! Will you do quickly what you plot against me? Do what Satan has planted in your heart, but as you see, I am ready to endure everything for my God!"

The prince then commanded his warriors to take Matthew and stretch him out on the ground, and fix his hands and feet to the ground with spikes. They di