"If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." [Galatians 1:10]

Some have called the September 11, 2001  murder of over 6,000 people in New York and Washington, D.C. God's punishment for the sins of the United States.   Sin is a matter of individual choice.  A nation can sin only if all of the people support or accept an error.  To preach otherwise is to spit upon the Christian Martyrs who lived during the Roman empire, those under the Turkish yoke, and those Christian Martyrs in Communist Russia.

The idea that a nation can sin and that the death of innocents is appropriate punishment for that sin is antithetical to Christian thought.   It is denial of Christian understanding of free will since it states that we are judged because of the accident of our place of birth and not for our own actions.  It is an offense to the Saints who resisted  the pagan, atheist or syncretist policies of the nations in which they lived.

The belief that those killed in the Towers were proved to be great sinners by virtue of the manner of their death is repudiated our Lord.  "those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them:  think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish."

So who sinned on September 11, 2001?

Let us examine the nature of the sin.  Nineteen people chose to become murderous fanatics for Islam.

Many moslems call the image of moslems as terrorists a caricature, a defamatory image. The actions on September 11 have fixed that image in the minds of the majority of human beings and Islam is now considered by many a religion of murderous intent.

Let us go further:  those men, following a directive to murder American "Cross Followers", murdered over 6000 people.   They reduced all of those people to faceless ciphers. Those madmen imposed the identity of "Cross Followers" upon their victims and killed them for being Christians. Many were not Christians during their lives.

What is important is what God thinks of this matter. What identity does He uphold for those killed and what does it mean?

On the third day of the disaster three steel crosses were found side by side under the mass of shattered bodies, steel, glass and concrete on the site that had been the World Trade Center. The largest of the three was standing upright, since it had stuck into the ground when it fell from One World Trade Center.

September 15/28 (Byzantine and Roman Date Sept 14) is the Feast of the Dedication and the Commemoration of the Public display of the Holy Cross. On that feast we remember that we are all temples of God, and that God the Son, Jesus Christ, considered us so important that He was willing to die to save us.

On the Octave of that Feast the largest of the Steel images of the Life giving Cross was removed from the rubble and set up for the world to see.

By the image of the three Crosses, we have been shown an image of Golgotha: the image of the death of Christ and the deaths of the martyrs. It seems that God has accepted the deaths of those innocents as a Martyrdom for the Cross. May He have mercy upon those who were killed for the sin of that day that was not theirs. God Himself has testified to that.

As to those who have the blood of the innocents upon their hands, both directly and indirectly, they will need His mercy since that blood will witness against them on judgement day.

The fanatics claim God as their God: to them and all of us has been this response:

The deaths of those killed that day are the deaths of those who followed Christ to the Cross.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ Most Glorious creator of the world Who with Splendor of equal Glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit wast pleased to accept pure flesh and permitted Thy most glorious palms to be nailed to the pillory of the Cross so that Thou might shatter the gates of hell and free the human race from death.

R. Have mercy upon me who am miserable: who am born down in my sins and sullied by an unclean lip: please do not abandon me O Glorious Lord but please absolve me for I have carried out evil deeds. Hear me, prostrate in the worship of Thy Life-giving Cross, so that in this holy sollemn act I may be cleansed and worthy to attend Thee Who Livest and reignest with Thine unoriginate Father and the Holy Spirit throughout all ages of ages. Amen.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee ascending the Cross and bearing the Crown of Thorns:

R. I beg Thee to liberate me from the angel of death.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ I adore Thee wounded upon the Cross: Gall and vinegar Thy drink:

R. I beg Thee that Thy death be my life.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee descending into hell freeing the captives:

R. I beg Thee, do not let me go into the punishments of hell.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ I adore Thee ascending into heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Father:

R. I beg Thee have mercy upon me.

V.  O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore Thee coming in Judgement:

R. I beg Thee that in Thy coming Thou dost not enter into judgement with me Thy sinful Servant but I beg Thee that Thou cast away my sins before Thou judge me.
Amen.

Abbot-Bishop +Maelruain, Cele De

(Many Apostles and important Saints and Apostles have dates in October, such as St. Luke, and Saints Simon and Jude, St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and also disciples of St. Columbanus such as St. Gall. Most of the histories of the Apostles are in other months, and only Oengus' verse and the Martyrology of Tallaght are included, such as for Saints Philip, Matthew, Mark, etc. Not every date is included here, as in other months. Another article follows the calendar.)
 

1 Oct / 14 Oct The triumph of Priscus, the Passion of Lucas: the Festival of German, a sun of songs: the Feast of the holy noble relics in the front of October.

Of Priscus, i.e. a Martyr.

Of Luke, the Evangelist.

Of Germanus, i.e. a Bishop and Patrick's tutor; of Germanus, Bishop of the city Auxerre. [See his history May 28^th.]

Feast of the Holy Relics, i.e. when the relics of Peter and Paul with Mary's hair and... of the great shrine which is in Rome came with Sechnall (Secundinus, see November 27^th) to Armagh. Or it is then that Maelruain's reliquary was completed. Or it is to the community of Tallaght that these relics were brought, and with them they are, as other say. Some say that in Armagh are the the shrine of Peter and Paul, and it is Sechnall that brought them hither. The coming of the relics of Jesus Christ and Mary and the Apostles and the Martyrs and Prophets and Virgins to  Tallaght by Maela Ruain from Armagh,  as the were the relics of Paul and Peter and the Saint were brought to Ireland by Sechnall.

[Dates related to St. Maelruain: March 6^th, July 7^th, October 1^st. Dates related to Tallacht, also called Tamlachta: January 3^rd, April 1^st, October 26^th.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Luke Evangelist; The coming of the relics of Jesus Christ and Mary and the Apostles and the Martyrs and Prophets and Virgins; Prisci Martyr; Crescentius; Petrus; Evagrus; Faustinus; Johannis; Marcialis; Januarius; Paulus; Alexandrus; Eupropius; Zefanus; Remedius; Pigna; Catia; Basilla; Basilissa; Crescentia; Gotia; Transilla; Denegotia; Musa; Eugenia; Brigitonia; Baluina; Geurgius; Saturninus; Speus; Castus; Primus; Ciricius; Donatus; Christus and eighteen others [a Saint named Christus]; Autisius; Laurentius; Faustinus with his; Germanus Bishop; Doctoris Bishop. Also: Doithnennach of Fid Duin; Clothrann i.e. of Inis Duine; Sinell Priest of Mag Bile (Movilla); Colman; Fintan; Columba Abbot of Bennchor (Bangor) brother of Glassain (or Colman son of Duach); Fidairle descendant of Suanach.

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.

A history of St. Luke the Evangelist and Apostle (one of the Seventy).

St. Luke wrote the Gospel of St. Luke and also the book of Acts of the Apostles. The Evangelist Luke was born in Antioch, a city of Syria, and he was a gentile. The name Luke is abbreviated from the Latin "Lucanus." St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Colossians shows a difference between St. Luke and those of the circumcision (Colossians 4:10-15). St. Luke was one who had thoroughly studied the Law of Moses and also the Prophets, and also medicine (Colossians 4:14), and painting, or "writing" icons. The quality of Greek in the Gospel of St. Luke and the Book of Acts is better than the other New Testament writers, even than St. Paul who was a great scholar.

His Icons of the Birthgiver of God show the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, and these are known to be wonder-working Icons. (Jesus always appears in Orthodox Christian Icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for example, in the Deesis, Jesus Christ sits in His Throne as Almighty God between the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist, and both of them are turned toward the Lord in an attitude of prayer. In the Icon "Our Lady of the Sign" the infant Jesus appears in her womb. This Icon is not only popular in the East, but also appears in the West, for example in an Apse from Spain that is in the Cloisters Museum in New York.) It is known that St. Luke took the time to listen to the Blessed Virgin Mary and write down what she told him, St. Luke 2:51, "And His mother kept all these words in her heart." This was possible, because after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, she stayed with the Apostle John in Jerusalem, and other Apostles and Disciples visited her often. She was considered both holy and a friend, and the Twelve Apostles came to her before she reposed. To this day, an Icon of the Birthgiver of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, with the infant Jesus, which was discovered on the Greek island of Tinos, does many wonderful miracles of healing. St. Luke painted many Icons, and some such as the Icon on Tinos survive today. Tradition states that he painted at least three icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, and brought them to her in her lifetime for her approval. She said, when she saw them, "May the grace of Him Who was born of me and my mercy be with these icons!" St. Luke is also known to have painted icons of Ss. Peter and Paul.

While Jesus Christ was teaching, His fame spread to other cities, including Antioch. St. Luke traveled from Antioch to Galilee to hear the Lord. St. Luke must have already converted to Judaism, because at first Jesus sought those of the Jewish faith and nation to follow Him. The Lord chose St. Luke to be one of the Seventy Apostles, who with the Twelve Apostles were sent two by two to preach the Word of God and the coming of the kingdom of God. The Lord also gave the Seventy Apostles the power to work miracles in His Name, and St. Luke was able to go "before the Face" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Lord Jesus Christ accepted suffering and death on the Cross for the whole world, St. Luke stayed in Jerusalem. He was probably among those who stood "afar off" and saw the Lord being Crucified. St. Luke was blessed by seeing the Lord on the day of His resurrection, and speaking with the Lord (St. Luke 24:13-32). In grief and doubt over the Crucifixion and reports of the Resurrection from the myrrh-bearing women, St. Luke went traveling to the town of Emmaus with another disciple named Cleopas, and on the road became the traveling companion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord appeared "in another form" (St. Mark 16:12, St. Luke 24:16). On the way, the Lord told them all the Prophecy "beginning with Moses" which proclaimed His coming in the Scriptures. When they arrived at the town, they stayed at a house, and when the Lord took bread and blessed it and gave it to them, they suddenly recognized Him as the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the Lord vanished, and after that they said to each other, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us along the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?" Rather than staying the night in Emmaus, Ss. Luke and Cleopas rose immediately and returned to Jerusalem, where they told the others about the Resurrected Lord. The Apostles were probably in the house of St. Mark's family. The Apostles told them that the Lord is truly Risen, and had appeared to Simon. When Ss. Luke and Cleopas told the others all that had happened, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared again to all of them, and blessed them with His peace. He showed them He is not just a phantom by showing the print of the nails in His hands and feet, and also eating broiled fish and a honeycomb. The Lord shared the food with the others. Then the Lord Jesus Christ did for the Eleven Apostles and the others who were there with them what He had done for Ss. Luke and Cleopas: He explained all the Prophecy in the Scripture concerning Him (Luke 24:18-49). The Lord told them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. And I sent the promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high." St. Luke was graced with hearing twice from Jesus all the Prophecy concerning the Lord Himself. (This is why, in all the Church, there is Prophecy from the Old Testament read on the holy day of the Resurrection of our Lord, either in the Vigil before the beginning of the Offering of the Divine Liturgy as in the Celtic Rite, or in the Byzantine Rite Saturday morning. In the Celtic Rite and the Roman Rites there are twelve Prophecies read. The specific readings vary according to Rite, and also according to nation: the Church of Constantinople does not have the same readings as the Church of Antioch.)

In the Gospel of St. Luke, it appears that the Ascension of our Lord into the heavens occurred in Bethany immediately after this (Luke 24:50-53), but in fact, the Gospel of St. John points out that St. Thomas was not there when Christ first came among them, so only Ten Apostles and others were in the room. A week later Christ returned to correct St. Thomas, and confirm all of us in belief in His Resurrection (St. John 21:24-31). Also, Jesus appeared to the Apostles on the sea of Galilee (St. John chapter 21). In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles (usually called "Acts"), which St. Luke also wrote, St. Luke writes that the Lord showed many proofs of the Resurrection for forty days on earth (Acts 1:3), and the Lord probably ate with them more than two or three times. Then the narrative of St. Luke in the Book of Acts confirms the Gospel of St. John (Acts 1:1-12).

After the Lord Jesus Christ ascended in to the heavens, St. Luke remained in Jerusalem with the other Apostles. Later he went to Antioch, his home town, where there already were Christians. On the way he passed through the Samaritan city of Sebaste, and preached the Gospel there. The relics of St. John the Baptist were at Sebaste, and they were incorrupt. St. Luke wanted to take the relics with him, but the Christians there, who had been taught by the Lord Himself (St. John 4:1-42), would not let St. Luke remove the precious relic of St. John the Baptist. So St. Luke removed the right arm of St. John the Baptist, that arm that had been placed on the Lord Jesus' head during His Baptism. St. Luke arrived in Antioch with this precious relic. He stayed in Antioch until he left to travel with St. Paul on St. Paul's second missionary journey. According to some ancient writers, St. Paul was one of his kinsmen, although Luke was not born a Jew while St. Paul was born a Jew.

St. Paul and St. Luke traveled to Greece, and the Apostle Paul directed St. Luke to establish the Church in the city of Philippi which was part of Macedonia. For several years St. Luke spread Christianity in that area. At the end of St. Paul's third missionary journey he met St. Luke in Philippi. The faithful chose St. Luke, with St. Paul, to go to Corinth to collect alms for the poor Christians in Palestine (II Corinthians 8:18-19). Then after Corinth, St. Luke went with St. Paul to Palestine, stopping at the churches on the islands of the Aegean in Phoenicia and Judaea. St. Luke stayed with St. Paul when the Apostle was put in prison in Caesaria of Palestine. Then when St. Paul was sent to Rome to stand trial, St. Luke did not leave him. He nearly lost his life in the voyage with St. Paul (Acts chapters 27-28).

When they arrived in Rome, St. Luke continued to stay with St. Paul, and Ss. Mark, Aristarchus, and others also stayed with the Apostle Paul (Colossians 4:10-12, Philemon 1:23-24). In Rome St. Luke wrote the Gospel of St. Luke and also the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. The Gospel of St. Luke was composed fifteen years after the Ascension of our Lord. In the Gospel of St. Luke, as in the Gospel of St. Matthew, some of the early life of Jesus Christ is told. The childhood narratives in the Gospels of Ss. Matthew and Luke fulfills Prophecy, especially of Isaiah, and for this reason Prophecy is also read in the Vigil of Christmas. St. Luke remembered the words of St. James the Righteous, the Brother of the Lord (see December 27^th), and also the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luke 2:51, "And His mother kept all these words in her heart." He listened to others, "who from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the Word." (Luke 1:2). It is possible that the Prophecies concerning Christmas were among those that the Lord revealed to St. Luke and Cleopas as they walked to Emmaus, and also to the others gathered together at the Resurrection, although it is certain that the many Prophecies concerning the Entrance into Jerusalem, the Crucifixion and Resurrection were explained. The Apostle Paul also was a source for the Gospel of St. Luke, because St. Paul, who had formerly persecuted the Christians would also have remembered many things he had seen and heard. St. Luke himself was an eyewitness of Christ on many occasions. St. Paul encouraged St. Luke in his writing of the Gospel, and also commanded St. Luke to write the Acts of the Apostles. The Martyr Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre, said that St. Luke write the Gospel at the command of the Apostle Peter, and the Acts of the Apostles at the command of the Apostle Paul. However, St. Sophronius of Jerusalem talks about the possessiveness of St. Paul. (The Blessed Theophylact points out that the "most excellent Theophilus," or better translated from Greek, "most mighty Theophilus" (St. Luke 1:3) would apply to any Christian. "Everyone who loves God and exercises dominion over his passions is a 'Theophilus' and 'most mighty,' and it is he who is truly worthy to hear the Gospel." The Acts of the Apostles also begins with a dedication to Theophilus., and is connected to the former book, in other words, the Gospel of St. Luke.)

In "The life of the Evangelist Luke According to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem," it is pointed out that St. Luke stayed with St. Paul in all his foreign travels. "Luke, a physician of Antioch, was not unacquainted with Greek culture, as is shown by his writings. He was a companion of the Apostle Paul and followed him in all his journeys to foreign lands. Luke wrote the Gospel to which Paul himself refers when he says, 'And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the churches.' (II Corinthians 8:18). And in his letter to the Colossians he says, 'Luke, the beloved physician, greets you.' (Colossians 4:14). And to Timothy he says, 'Only Luke is with me.' (II Timothy 4:11). Luke wrote another excellent book entitled The Acts of the Apostles, a history which ends with Paul's two-year stay in Rome, that is, in the fourth year of Nero's reign. This leads us to believe that The Acts of the Apostles was written in Rome. The tale of the journey of Paul and Thecla, and every other fable, such as the baptism of the lion, should not be counted among the canonical Scriptures. For it is not possible that he who was inseparable from the Apostle should not have known of this act among all his other acts. Tertullian also mentions a certain elder in Asia at that time, a companion of the Apostle Paul, who, when it was proven in the presence of John that he was the author of this book, confessed that he had written it out of love for Paul. Some say that this is why Luke does not mention himself as the author. Whenever Paul says in his own Epistles, 'according to my Gospel,' (Romans 2:16, etc.) It is clear that he means the Gospel written by Luke. But Luke learned the Gospel not only from the Apostle Paul, who was not with the Lord in the body at that time, but from the other Apostles as well. [St. Luke certainly used the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. James the Righteous, and all the other Apostles as sources, as well as his own eye-witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.] He himself clearly states this at the beginning of his work, saying, 'even as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses.' (St. Luke 1:1-2) Therefore he wrote the Gospel as he had heard it. But he wrote the Acts based on what he himself had experienced. Luke's relics were taken up and carried to Constantinople, together with the relics of the Apostle Andrew, in the twentieth year of the reign of Constantius."

(The Celtic dates for St. Thecla are February 22^nd with St. Peter at Antioch, not St. Paul, June 1^st and November 17^th. The Byzantines celebrate her in September, on the 24^th or 26^th, and there is a dispute over two different St. Theclas who were Martyrs. See St. Paul, January 25^th for the discussion.)

The Opening of the Ears to the Catechumens before the Offering of the Divine Liturgy of Palm Sunday says this about the Gospel of St. Luke, explaining the Kerubs from Ezekiel: "Hear the Gospel according to Luke:

'1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us; 2 According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word: 3 It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.' Luke, the Evangelist bears the aspect of a bull as his emblem: Our Savior is the Sacrifice and therefore Luke is compared to the bull. It is also because it contains the two horns of the two Testaments and the four feet of the four Gospels." (See the History of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, September 21^st.) What this means, is that the priest Zachary offered sacrifices, therefore the bull, and also was a priest according to the Old Testament Law, but heralding the New Testament. St. Luke is the longest Gospel, in many places tying together the four Gospels, both in the early childhood of Jesus and also the Resurrection, and also quotes Old Testament Prophecy. The Gospel of St. John also ties together all four books, but does not include the childhood of Jesus. (The "Opening of the Ears" is required before Baptism, and therefore it is read Palm Sunday every year for any who may be Baptized at Pascha, and also to remind all to think about the meanings of the Gospels. Although this reading is in the Celtic Rite, it is also something written down at greater length by St. Ambrose of Milan, and was in use in that Diocese. The importance of symbols such as the four Kerubs in Ezekiel symbolizing the four books of the Gospels, is that the Church has always used symbols, Parables, and many means to convey the truth. However, the Church must describe its own symbols, because these are not the "same" as the symbols found in other religions. These symbols must be defined according to Scripture and Tradition of the Church alone.)

St. Paul was released from prison after his two years in chains, and he left Rome for churches he had already established. St. Luke continued to stay with St. Paul. Soon the emperor Nero began to persecute the Christians in Rome. The Apsotle Paul returned then to Rome to preach to the Romans and make them strong in the faith, and share Martyrdom with them if it pleased God. The pagans arrested St. Paul and put him into prison again. St. Luke alone stayed with the Apostle Paul at that time, which was so terrible that the Apostle said he was a victim doomed to be slaughtered (II Timothy 4:6, 10-11).

St. Luke probably witnessed the Martyrdom of the Apostle Paul in Rome. However, St. Luke was not Martyred, but spread the faith after the Martyrdom of St. Paul throughout Italy, Dalmatia, Gaul, Macedonia, and Achaia which borders Macedonia. He lived for many years. When he was old, he visited Egypt and endured many tortures for Jesus. He first traveled through all of Libya, and converted many in the Thebaid of Egypt. He Consecrated a successor of Bishop Ananias in Alexandria, Consecrating Abilius. Bishop Ananias had carried out the work of St. Mark for twenty-two years (see St. Mark, April 25^th). St. Luke returned to Greece and continued establishing churches, especially in Boetia. St. Luke died as a Martyr when he was eighty-four years old, throughout his adult life teaching and preaching the Gospel of Christ, doing miracles in His Name, and establishing churches. St. Luke was crucified on an olive tree instead of a cross. His body was buried in Thebes, the name of the principal city of Boetia. His holy relics healed many.

In the second half of the fourth century the relics of St. Luke were transferred to Constantinople, which then was the capital of the Eastern Empire. The relics were located because of miracles of healing, especially of diseases of the eyes. The emperor Constantius, son of the emperor Constantine the great, learned from the Bishop of Achaia that the body of St. Luke reposed in Thebes of Boetia. Constantius sent Artemius who was prefect of Egypt to translate the relics of St. Luke to the capital. When the relics arrived at Constantinople at the seaside, a eunuch named Anatolius who was a principal chamberlain had an incurable illness. He approached the reliquary and attempted to help carry it, and the disease left him before he could walk far. Then he carried the reliquary to the Church of the Holy Apostles where the relics of St. Luke were kept with the relics of the Apostles Andrew and Timothy.
 

3 Oct / 16 Oct Mark's noble nativity in Egypt, the declaration of every mouth!

Candida, the happy sun; the fair nativity of Colmán Ela.

Of Mark the Evangelist, on the day he came among the Angels. Candida, i.e. a virgin.

Of Colman Ela, i.e. of Land Ela in Tir chell.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Candida; Teuthota; Marcianilla; Felix; Teodostus; Marcianus; Ambonus; Castus; Genus; Leodargus; Urbanus; Celsius; Spargus; Felix; Marcellianus; Birth into life of Marcus Evangelist. Also: Colmani of Lann Elo fifty five years from his birth, son of Rethi (also on Sept. 26^th); Nuadu Anchorite; Seven Bishopps of Cluain Caa.

[St. Dionysius the Areopagite is on October 3^rd, although not in the Martyrology of Tallaght, on all the ancient calendars including the Byzantine. See October 9^th for an explanation, including his confusion with St. Dionysius of Paris. There are several dates throughout the year, especially in October, for St. Dionisius in the Celtic calendar, but they are not identified as to who is who.]
 

7 Oct / 20 Oct With Matthew (and) Bishop Marcus was slain a host with hardship (?),

the Feast of Cellach the keen with a fair, melodious following.

St. Matthew, i.e. the Evangelist. Mark, i.e. a Bishop and Evangelist. According to Gregory, a Pope of Rome and Confessor according to Gregory. Marcus the Bishop, not the Evangelist.

Of Cellach, i.e. in Hui Mail is Deacon Cellach, in Disert Cellaig to the south-east of Glendalough he is. Cellach the Saxon from Glendalough. He was not English (Angle), but he came from the English to the Irish, because he was Irish.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Mattheus Evangelist; Marcus Bishop; Marcellus; Cartus; Marcellinus; Figius; Baricius; Augustus; Dionisius; Januarius; Zefanus; Johannis; Marcialis; Privatus; Tutilla; Maria; Pelagia; Corona; Julia; Rustica; Eraclus; Julianus; Martinus; Laurentius; Martinus; Apuleus; Josippus Deacon; Rusticus; Celsius and eight others; Saint Muricius. Also: Saint Colmani; Cellaigi Deacon i.e. the Saxon in Glenn da Locha (Glenndalough); Comgilli Abbot.
 

9 Oct / 22 Oct On the Feast of Eusebius there went up, along the ways (to heaven),

a vast host of kings, fifty and three hundreds.

Of Eusebius, i.e. a Pope.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Eusebius; Eraclius; Dionisius; Diodorus; Atticus; Secunda; Frigia; Maria; Lauda; Lucida; Eufemia; Cirilla; Petrus; Butus; Duolus; Septimus; Julius; Acripinus and three hundred seventeen others; Eleutrus; Parisius; Paulus; Parisacus; Quintinus; Antonicus; Julianus; Antonius. Also: Fintani Abbot; Aedani moccu Cuind; Dinertaig of Cluain Mor; Mac Tail (son of Tail, i.e. Fintan mac Tail).
 

Dionysius the Areopagite, and Dionysius of Paris are two different Saints. St. Dionysius the Areopagite was Martyred in 96 A.D., according to St. Sophronius of Jerusalem and the Menology of Basil, burned alive in Athens under emperor Domitian. Before the 7^th century, his history never mentions him ever leaving Greece. After the seventh century his name is connected with Cotrone in Calabria and Paris (France). The Byzantines celebrate St. Dionysius the Areopagite on October 3^rd, which was on all the ancient calendars. The Romans celebrate him October 9^th, and on the Celtic calendar there are several dates in October with a Saint Dionisius, but these Saints are not distinguished from each other. (There is a Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria November 17^th, according to Roman usage, who wrote against the idea of random chance.) There were several Saints throughout the early church who had the name "Dionysius," because this was a common name for a man at that time, although it was originally the name of a pagan deity, not a Hebrew name. The modern name has been shortened to "Dennis" or "Denis."

St. Dionysius the Areopagite was the first Bishop of Athens. St. Paul taught on Areopagus hill in Athens where the philosophers met, as it says in the Book of Acts chapter 17, and St. Paul gave one of his most beautiful sermons about Who is God. (See January 25^th: the history of the Holy Apostle Paul.) Some of the philosophers believed him, and were converted to Christianity. Among them was St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Because of the confusion of St. Dionysius the Areopagite with St. Dionysius of Paris, the authorship is questioned of books on Christian philosophy by "Dionysius the Areopagite." These books were brought to Paris, but were not authored by the St. Dionysius of Paris, so they may be authentically authored by the earlier St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Copies of these books in Athens or in another library need to be found, but many books from many authors have been lost, so these books are usually called "Pseudo-Dionysius" in the spirit of scholastic doubt, and because the spirit of these early ideas seemed strange to the more modern readers.

St. Gregory of Tours records another St. Dionysius of Paris who was born in Italy and sent into Gaul in 250 A.D. with six other missionary Bishops. This Dionysius is mentioned in the Martyology of Jerome, and is connected to the Martyrdom of St. Rusticus and St. Eleutherius. Later writers say that St. Rusticus and Eleutherius were the Priest and Deacon of the Bishop, and together they established Christian worship on an island in the Seine at Lutetia Parisiorum (Paris). Because of their effective preaching, they were imprisoned for a long time, and then beheaded. Their bodies were thrown into the Seine, and then the bodies were taken out of the river and buried. Later a chapel was built over the graves, which became the Abbey of Saint-Denis, founded by king Dagobert I (who died A.D. 638). St. Gregory of Tours records about St. Martin, November 11^th, that the history of the Church in Gaul (France) did not begin with St. Martin. St. Gregory of Tours tells of seven holy Bishops who were consecrated and sent there in the middle of the third century. These were: Catianus (or Gatianus) of Tours; Trophimus of Arles; Paulus of Narbonne; Saturninus of Toulouse; Dionysius of Paris; Stremonius of Clermont; and Martialis of Limoges. According to Gregory of Tours, St. Martin was the third Bishop of Tours, and was Consecrated in 371 A.D. Gregory said that the See of Tours was vacant for thirty seven years after the episcopacy of Catianus.

A confusion between St. Dionysius of Athens and St. Dionysius of Paris grew from the time of the founding of the Abbey of Saint-Denis (638 A.D.). In 827, Hilduin was the Abbot of Saint-Denis when a gift to the emperor of the West, Louis the Pious, from the emperor of the East, Michael II came to his Abbey in Paris. This was a copy of the writings of St. Dionysius the Areopagite. They happened to arrive in Paris on the eve of the Feast of St. Denis of Paris. Hilduin translated these writings into Latin [from Greek], and also wrote a life of St. Dionysius which confused the two Saints Dionysius. This would seem to make the writings of St. Dionysius the Areopagite the authentic early writings, but the life by Hilduin a later composition. For the next seven hundred years people refered to Hilduin's life of Dionysius, who he says was assigned to Paris by Pope St. Clement I. Hilduin's life also describes the Martyrdom of a Saint who could not be put to death by wild beasts, fire, crucifixion, and even after beheading on Montmartre rises to his feet and carries his head, being led by an angel two miles to the site of the Abbey of Saint-Denis. This Martyrdom is not mentioned by either St. Gregory of Tours or St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (see above). (This sounds similar to the story of the Spanish El Cid, which was not entirely a fable, but made use of a corpse of the leader tied to his horse so that his troops would not lose heart and the enemy would falter. Unfortunately, although people were impressed by miracles, true miracles such as those recorded about the death of St. Polycarp were inspiring, but adding embellishments to miracles would make people come to disbelieve even the true miracles. These embellishments by Hilduin also brought the early Greek writings of St. Dionysius the Areopagite into doubt.)

The writings of the St. Dionysius from Athens uses Greek philosophical terms, but his books are often said to be by "Pseudo-Dionysius," because some scholars who are familiar with some early Christian writing have not read the writing of St. Irenaeus of Lyons. Any person trying to explain Christianity to pagans of the first or second centuries might have used terms and classifications similar to St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Modern translations of his works are often not the best, because the mystical concepts must first be understood from the standpoint of Greek and early Christian philosophy. It is also difficult to get past the doubting footnotes.

The style of a modern translation may not reflect the actual style of the writer. Early writers sometimes wrote in different styles: often Greek or Latin had slight differences depending on the region a writer came from. Some modern scholars also say that these writings are in a style which was from the fifth century, and with content unknown in the first century, so there may be some confusion with a later St. Dionysius, Bishop of Paris. Remember that St. Irenaeus of Lyons predicted some later heresies, and St. Gregory Thaumaturgis is often blamed for not writing his comments against heresies because these reflect later heresies. St. Gregory Nazianzus also predicted later heresies. All of these predictions were based upon the philosophical interests of the time, as well as a training in logic. All of these Saints were trained in the logical thinking of the ancient Greeks, as well as true Christian philosophy.

The earliest mention of these books was at Constantinople in 533 A.D., but they were rejected by Hypatius as forgeries. If the author was later than first century, he has never been identified. Some claim that the "Pseudo-Dionysius" invented his own presence at the eclipse of the sun at the crucifixion of our Lord, and also his presence at the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, his philosophy is not derived from any other writing of the fifth century; rather the kinds of philosophical arguments about light are of the first century. (Read the Scriptural writing of St. John the Apostle, "And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil." the Gospel of St. John 3:19. Light also was misunderstood by heretical factions influenced by Zoroastrians, although St. Dionysius does not represent the fantastic side-issues that St. Irenaeus of Lyons complains about in his important book, Aganist the Heresies. See St. Irenaeus, August 26^th.) This writing is important today, because many people point to certain writers who have "mystical" interpretations of Scripture such as Augustine, but do not include the writings of St. Dionysius. St. Dionysius, or "Pseudo-Dionysius" wrote many books, including Mystical Theology, The Divine Names, The Heavenly Hierarchies, The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy. These books were valued for their mystical and theological content both in the East and West, even though their authorship was questioned. His works inspired later Orthodox writers such as St. Maximus the Confessor in the 7^th century. If these works were assigned to the wrong source, they are still considered Orthodox commentary from an early source, if not the earliest.
 

11 Oct /24 Oct Of the trio whom we commemorate, splendid are their multitudes:

Fortchern, Lommán the scaly, Cainnech descendant of Dála.

Fortchern, Lamman, i.e. Fortchern son of Loeguire, son of Niall, and in Ath truim he is. Or Fortchern, i.e. in Cell Fortcheirn in Hui Grea are Fortchern and Lomman. Of Ath truim in bregia are both of them i.e. Fortchern son of Loeguire of Ath truim in Laeguire in the east of Meath, and Lomman there also, in Ath truim. Or Fortchern of Cell Fortchirn in Hui Drona. Cainnech of Achad bo on the same day.

Caindech, i.e. son of Aed Alaind is he, and Achad bo is his principal church, and he has an abbey-church in Cell Rigmonaid (St. Andrews) in Scotland. Cainnech of Ached bo Cainnig.

Lomman the scaly, i.e. scales of leprosy on him.

Caindech maccu Dalan, i.e. son of Ae Alaind was he, and Achad bo is his principal church. Cainnech once went to Finden to ask for a place in which he might dwell. "I see none there," says Finden, "for every one has taken before thee." "What is that empty place there?" asks Cainnech. "The demon of that road (?) Is there," says Finden, "proving the ecclesiastics." "Let me go to him to expel him," says Caindech. "May it be easy for thee!" says Finden. When the demon beheld him coming towards him, he said this: "O bald, little cloak!" says he, "this is not thy path." "Leave the place in which thou art at once," says Caindech. Thereat the demon arose and left it, and thereafter Cainnech inhabits the place. "Before God, my dear brethren," says Caindech to the folk who were along with him, "there was no limb of knowledge (?) There; neither my right hand nor my left came in contact with him," etc. [F. has: "the limb by which my disgrace was caused thou hast never seen."]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Tacus Martyr; Probus; Andrionus; Ampodus; Placidus; Faustus; Johannis; Celsius; Januaarius; Marcialis; Marcellus; Eraclus; Andocus; Antonus; Venustus; Petrus; Faustinus; Vincentius; Danais and three others; Venantius; Quintinus; Quintus. Also: Crumthis i.e. Fergnae; Loman (or Lomman) in Ath Truim with his companions i.e.: of the company of Patrick (also February 17^th) and Fortchern. Also: Abel son of Adae; Cainnig moccu Dalann eighty four years old.

(See February 17^th, Fortchern, according to TSI.)

TSI lists Cainnech (Kenneth or Canice) of Aghaboe today, who lived from 517 to 600 A.D. Kenneth is one of the most popular names in Scotland. Cainnech's father was born in Ulster, a scholar and bard. Cainnech studied under Finian of Clonard and also was a student in the same school with Comgall of Bangor, Kieran of Clonmacnoise, and Colum cille in Mobhi's school at Glasnevin (see Mobi October 12^th , one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland"). Cainnech founded Aghaboe and Kilkenny. (Cainnech is pronounced "Kenny.") He was an Irish Pict and spoke Pictish, so he spent much of his life as a missionary in Scotland. He was with Colm cille and Comgall (June 9^th and May 10^th) when they went to king Brude of the Pictish people to obtain permission to missionize in the area from the bases of Lismore and Iona. Iona formerly had a church called "Killchainnech," and Cainnech often traveled with Colm cille. His churches in Dalriada Scotland were on the islands of Coll, Tiree, Mull, South Uist and Cantyre. He was also the patron of Kennoway in Fife. He had a church Laggan-Kenny on the east end of Loch Laggan. A monastery at Miaden Castle had flourished, although now it is in ruins. TSI says that Oengus said about Cainnech, "Aghaboe was his principal church and he has a Recles (monastery) at Kill-Rigmonaig in Alba." (See November 30^th and March 30^th). The name of St. Andrews in Scotland (now a golf course) was the later name of Rigmond in Scotland. (The Cele De made a last stand at that monastery, and were not allowed to continue after they died out, nor were they allowed to leave by the Protestants.) In 736 a Pictish monarch acquired the relics of St. Andrew and brought them to Rigmond, and the monastery changed its name.

12 Oct /25 Oct Declare Fiacc (and) Fiachra, at the same time - great is their treasure! -

my Bí, strong that triumph! that fair, flatfaced one.

Declare Fiacc and Fiachra, i.e. Tell the story of Fiacc of Slebte, i.e. Fiacc Bishop of Slebte and Fiachra his son. Fiacc of Slebte in Hui Bairche, & Fiachrahis son who was with him.

Omne, i.e. a small church; the name of a place in a wood between Achad Aball and Cluain mor Maedoic, and there were Fiac and Fiachra. Omin is the same as Or Omin Becc the name of the place in the forest which is Cluain Moir Moedoic Achad Aball, & it is said to be the resting place of Fiacc, as he had gone there. Omin, i.e. a small plain between Cluain mor Maedoic and Achad Aball, and there is Fiacc, as experts say.

Mobi, i.e. of Glasnevin on the brink of the river Liffey on the north side. Mobi son of Beoan, of Corco tri of the Luigni of Connaught. Uaine, Findbarr's daughter, was his mother. In Cell maic Taidg was he conceived and brought forth, and of a dead woman he was begotten. Table-faced was he, for the earth pressed him down, so that he was one flat board. Mobi the Table-faced of Glasnevin in (the country occupied by) the Danes. Berchan was Mobi's name. Beoaith son of Senach was his father's name, and Huanir the Fair, daughter of Finnbarr, his mother's name. Mobi etc. (not translated in text). (One of the twelve Apostles of Ireland.)

['Fiacail' means tooth. 'Fiach' is raven. See notes on poem March 24^th.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Hedisti Monk (solitary); Heustasius; Euasius; Zefanus; Euagrus; Siria; Prosiria; Maria; Petronilla; Fortunata; Eucharistus; Fortunatus; Priscianus; Paulus; Celestus; Laurentius; Mamedistus; Saturus; Beturica; Pilionis; Donatus; Burrus; Secundus. Also: Mobi Clarenech (Table-faced) son of Beoaid of Corco Tri of the Lugni of Connacht. Uan Find daughter of Barrfind was his mother. Berchan Abbot of Glas Noiden [this was Mobi's real name]; Fiac and Fiachra his son with him in Slebte. Sillnatain. Becc (Little); Aedain; Diarmait; Baitheni; Failain; Breccain.

TSI says about Fiacc or Fiach that Dubthach, the royal bard of Leinster at Donaghmore suggested him as Bishop of Leinster to St. Patrick. Fiacc was a good man, "the husband of one wife" (one of St. Paul's requirements for a Bishop) and of only one child He was also a poet and next to Dubthach in the Bardic Order. St. Fiacc offered himself immediately at St. Dubthach's suggestion, and St. Patrick gave him an "Alphabet" (probably an Abecedarian, a poetic brief manual on Christian doctrine), and Ordo for Sacraments and the Offering of the Mass. "And Patrick conferred the degree of Bishop upon Fiacc; and he gave to Fiacc a cumdach [box] containing a bell, and a minister [relics] and a crozier, and a poolire [leather satchel for books]." St. Patrick also gave him seven religious to start his community. St. Fiacc's son is St. Fiachra, and they are buried at Sletty in Leix with "three twenties of his disciples."

[St. Fiacc's metrical Life of St. Patrick or Genair Patraicc called the "Hymn of Fiacc" has footnotes which cause scholars to date it in the eighth century, but the arguments of scholars ignore the information contained in this Hymn, whether passed on orally until the eighth century and written then, or written much earlier but copied later with only the copy surviving. (As an example, the Tain Bo Cuailnge is an early Irish epic about a war in Ireland similar to the Greek Iliad that was written down in the eighth century about a much earlier pre-Christian time, but was written by means of an aural vision of Fergus and also based on oral tradition. Geography was not generally available information, yet the places in the Tain Bo Cualinge match the topography of the areas described exactly. The venerable Bede was not as accurate in his geography and history of Briton when describing Hadrian's wall. If the Genair Patraicc were said to be "composed" in the eighth century, this does not make either the Genair Patraicc or the Tain Bo Cuailnge works of fiction, but may have some later elements. The Genair Patriacc is too accurate to be entirely a work as late as the eighth century.) Fiacc and Sedulius (see February 12^th) were very early Irish Saint- poets who trained others in both the writing of great Hymns and also in educational methods that could allow the Celtic Saints to recite 150 Psalms often from memory, and allow the Irish to study all areas of classical learning including religion and philosophy, history and law, music, science, and languages including grammar and rhetoric or the ability to express ones' self in various styles. Irish knew Latin, Greek, and sometimes Hebrew and Syriac also called Aramaic. St. Maelruain's Rule stressing the value of education and the requirement of monks to teach carries on this tradition. When the Irish were no longer allowed to teach on the continent of Europe, a dark age of ignorance in the European continent of all areas of learning occurred, coinciding with the time of the Great Schism. Chaos in law caused many wars and other problems in society, not only a loss of religious training. See St. Patrick, March 17^th, in a discussion of the Genair Patraicc. See February 12^th: St. Sedulius founded a school of poetics that influenced Greeks and Romans in his time.]

TSI says that Mobhi was a nickname for Berchan, and was one of Finian's disciples at Clonard. Mobi was one of the twelve Apostles of Ireland. At Glasnevin students came to visit Mobi for a time, including Colm cille, Comgall, Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, and Cainnech of Aghaboe. Tradition says that Colm cille and his companions swam the river Tolka during high flood waters to get to vespers in the church on the other side. Mobi died of the plague in A.D. 545, and his school did not continue long after that.

TSI lists St. Dallan Forghaill January 29^th, another bard who was protected by St. Colum cille.
 

15 Oct /28 Oct The foremost suffering of the Mauri has been heard throughout the troupful world: many afflictions (?) they cndured, after bitter dungeons of fetters.

Of the Mauri, i.e. a great race of men. [Today, in New Zealand?]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Maurorum; Ceca with ten others; Sussus and seventy others; Lupus; Mireus; Aufichus; Saturninus; Nereus; Zefanus; Agripinus; Patricius; Donaeta; Fortunata; Maria; Brigitonia; Saetamina virgin. Also: Saint Tommeni; Cuani; Maele Coisni; Corona virgin; Saint Fintiana virgin; Birth of Colman son of Lenin; Boithine; Cormani of Galam and sister Ultain.
 

16 Oct /29 Oct Cíar with three fair hundreds - (and) four tens (went) to that triumph;

Ríaguil ran that course, and Colmán from that Cell Rúad.

Riagail, i.e. a Saint of Mucc-inis in Lough derg.

Colman, i.e. Bishop of Cell Ruaid in Dalaradia. Colman of Cell Ruaid on the shore of Loch Loig in Ulster, and he was a Bishop.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Caere in Africa and three hundred eighty other Martyrs (Ciar is also listed on January 5^th); Leudgarus; Martinus and a multitude of soldiers in Rome; Siasius; Johannis; Zefanus; Maria; Heracla; Merus; Transilla; Saturnus. Also: In the city of Ticina in honor of Michael the Archangel. Also: Lucinnani Abbot; Riaguil of Muccinis; Colmain of Cell Ruad; Coemgeni; Saint Critani; Ceire daughter Duib Reae; Bricc (the speckled); Taicthig; Saint Coimani; Saint Columbae; Coibsenaig Biship; Eogan of Less Mor.

Note from TSI, Eliph went to Toul in France, was imprisoned there, but set free miraculously. He had been an Irish prince who chose the life of poverty as a monk. His preaching converted about 400 people before Julian the Apostate had him beheaded in the year 362. His sisters and brother Eucharius also shared in his Martyrdom. Their place of burial, Mount Eliph commemorates them, but in the 10^th century his relics were moved to Cologne. His history was from the Benedictines and McManus.

TSI also lists St. Gall or Gallen today, one of the closest of the disciples of St. Columbanus of Luxeuil and Bobbio (see November 23^rd), and founder of one of the most important libraries and religious centers in Europe. St. Gall died in A.D. 640. Educated in Bangor, St. Gall had the gift of facility with languages. The city of St. Gall in Switzerland was founded by St. Gall, who planted a Cross in the wilderness there in A.D. 612. When St. Columbanus and his Irish companions were exiled from Luxeuil and were travelling through Switzerland, St. Columbanus felt that the Alemans people needed missionizing. St. Gall and some others stayed there, while Columbanus himself went with a few others on to Italy and Bobbio.

First, Columbanus and all with him including St. Gall went to Bregenz on Lake Constance. At Arbon nearby was a holy Priest Willimar who was glad of their arrival, saying, "Blessed are those who come in the Name of the Lord." St. Gall began to preach and instruct, quickly learning the Teutonic language, which is not similar at all to either Latin or Gaelic, but might have been similar enough to the Saxon language, if St. Gall had heard it in England. All went well until the war between kings Theodebert and Thierry (see the history under Columbanus November 23^rd). Theodebert was overthrown, dressed as a monk and mocked, and put to death by Thierry's murderous mother. Then Columbanus went on to Italy to avoid further dealings with Thierry who had originally exiled him from Luxeuil. However, St. Gall became ill and could not travel onward. The Priest Willimar nursed Gall to health. Then Gall found a site for a solitary cell and oratory, and disciples soon gathered there. On a Sunday, November 23^rd, 615, St. Gall announced that it was revealed to him that Columbanus had died in the night, and he wished to Offer the Holy Eucharist for Columbanus. Gall sent the Deacon Magnoald to Bobbio to ask about the Abbots last moments. Magnoald returned bringing Columbanus' staff which he had given to Gall. In the 9^th century, records say that St. Columbanus' staff hung over the Altar in the church of St. Gall. (It is still preserved in Bavaria in two fragments encased in silver croziers at Kempten and in the monastery founded by Magnoald at Fussen). Gunzo, Duke of Alemania, offered Gall the Bishopric of Constance. Around 627, six monks came from Luxeuil asking Gall to be their Abbot. But in spite of these offers, he chose instead to continue preaching and instructing the most abandoned of people in the mountainous parts of the country. At Arbon on Lake Constance, at the place where Willimar had greeted the monks, St. Gall died on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. (Note: On the calendars of the Irish, including Oengus, the Feast of St. Michael is September 29^th , so why the Feast of St. Gall is celebrated October 16^th might have to do with bringing of his relics to his resting place).

Scholars and teachers came to St. Gall. A benefactor, Talto was called the "Protector Hibernorum" in early records. Copies of deeds also still exist from 670 and 680, giving gifts to the monastery. Irish continued to go there and teach, and an official charter was granted in 720 by Charles Martel who appointed the Priest Otmar to guard the relics of St. Gall. The monastery and area of St. Gall had more and more property added to it. Many churches nearby and much further away were named after St. Gall. In the ninth century, the school became famous for its copies of Gregorian Chant. (Irish music from Bangor would have been replaced by the then-required Gregorian music, but the quality of copying was high.) The library of St. Gall has a very large collection of Irish manuscripts of the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th centuries, and also a 9^th century catalogue of these books. These include Gospels, Bibles, and illuminated manuscripts, some of which had come from Ireland in the 8^th century. A Latin-German dictionary of the 8^th century is there in Irish handwriting, the first record of the Teutonic language.
 

17 Oct /30 Oct Much suffered the Martyr, heavenly Nicodemus, with his train,

a fair union, the strong expeller of demons.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Nicodimus Martyr; Alexandrinus; Nobilitanus; Zefanus; Veneria; Agna; Victoria; Maria; Mamma; Donata; Marialita; Defensoris; Lucitinus; Rusticianus; Socratus; Venereus; Petrassius; Januarius; Laurentius; Quintasius; Crescentius; Accintinus; Rufianus; this honor of Michael. Also: Colmani Abbot; Anchoritess Con Britt; Noinachi (or Nomachi, or Moinachi, or Moenach) Abbot.
 

18 Oct /31 Oct Verily with the Passion of Philip, a chief martyr who enlarges us;

To the abstinent Tryphonia fair Christ gave aid.

Trifonia ie: wife of Decius king of the Romans.. [Note says see St. Tryphonia in the O.E. Mart. Pp. 188. Decius' wife is Herennia Etruscilla.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Luca Evangelist translation [of his relics]; Pilippus Martyr; Lucus; Victorinus; Hermetis; Taxus; Petrus; Januarius; Bressius; Victricis; Leucius; Agna; Victoricus; Tecla; Maria; Fithionia; Victoria; Cicilia and other Martyrs; Eunucheus; Victoris; Faustinus; Martialis; Potiolus; Januarius; Euticis; Paulus; Simfronianus; Beresepia. Also: Trifonia wife of Decius. Also: Mothecca of Ruscach; Moluanen of Tamlachta (Tallaght); Colmani Abbot son of Coirtgid.

TSI lists the Irish Monon today, who missionized in Belgium in the beginning of the seventh century. More than thirty churches in Belgium are dedicated to Irish Saints who came and missionized Belgium. Monon lived as a hermit in the forest of the Ardennes, preaching the Gospel. He was Martyred at Nassogne in Belgian Luxemburg.
 

20 Oct /2 Nov The Passion of Eutychius, with Fintan Maeldub - great is that shout! -

the fair sun at that mountain, of those splendid Children of Eogan.

Fintan Maeldub of Daermag Hua Duach in Ossory. Now Maeldub was his proper hame; but he and Fintan of Cluain Eidnech in Leix made a union and each of them gave his name to the other in memory of their association.

Maeldub: Maeldub, however, they say that he was of the Eoganacht of Cashel: or he is of the race of Brian son of Eochaid Muidmedon, i.e. Maeldub son of Amalgad, son of Fothad, son of Conall Glune, son of Brian, son of Eochaid Muidmedon.

'Tis that Maeldub whom Fechin of Fore took with him as a fosterling and set him to study. His good work and his devotion increased so that Fechin made him cellarer for the congregation; and of his race is the Muinter Maelduib. After his death Fechn said:

Maeldub, foe of the bae dark devils,

save his cloak and his sheet of linen, he posessed nothing of the world.

The witness which Michael bore as to Maeldub, good was he for whom he gave it:

since he entered noble religion he set not his ear to a pillow.

Michael's witness as to Maeldub - great the witness as to a son of man,

save the King of the stars, Mary's Son, there is none better for praying to.

Though I should say 'my back is sore,' it would not be after carrying a heavy burden:

the crooked midge would not be weary (from the burden) of the evil or error which Maeldub wrought.

I will bear witness as to Maeldub, it is not the witness of a rash man,

that a midge would carry in its claw all the sin that Maeldub committed.'

[Cf. The Quran xcix: And whosoever shall have wrought an ant's weight of good shall behold it; and whosoever shall have wrought an ant's weight of ill shall behold it." - note from translator.]

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Euticus Martyr; Promiceus; Dassus; Januarius; Suscemus; Suscimus; Lucus; Sisinnus; Marcellus; Bermiacus; Januarius; Johannis; Caprassius; Muria; Zefanus and six others; Dorotha; Juliana; Muria; Daria; Marialita. Also: Saint Colmani; Colman of Tuaim Grene. Also: Fintain Maelduib; Saint Aidani; Ingell of Mag Eo.

The virgin Daria was an early Martyr with Crisantus, also spelled Chrysanthus, as recorded by St. Gregory of Tours in the Glory of the Martyrs. Many healings occured at their tomb, and other Christians who venerated them and were visiting the tomb were walled up there by an unbelieving emperor. The double tombs were discovered later, together with silver pitchers of the group of Christians that had been filled with wine as an offering before the Divine Sacrifice (Eucharist). Also see August 25^th and December 19^th.
 

21 Oct /3 Nov A splendid flame with the Fathers' fervor, Fintan, true gold proven!

Telchán's son, brave, abstinent, a battle soldier trustful, crucified.

Fintan, i.e. Munnu, i.e. Fintan, i.e. Munnu [pedigree] son of Telchan the wizard. He was called Fintan because of the union which he and Fintan of Cluain eidnech in Leix formed, so that the name of each was given to the other in memory of the association, i.e. Munnu son of Techclan, of Tech Munnu in Hui Cennselaig and in Meath.

Munnu and Digde [Munnu and his sister Digde] (Munnu) son of Telchan, son of Dega, son of Tren, son of Dubthach, son of Ban son of Fiacha Araide, son of Feidlimid Rechtaid, son of Carthach, son of Daigre, son of Erc, son of Imchad, son of Lam feola, son of Cliathaire, son of Focha, son of Dubthach Donn.

Said Colum cille:

O little vassal of mighty God, O son of Telchan, O churl,

she bare a hard son to my company the mother that bore thee, O Fintan, i.e. O Munnu!

crucified, i.e. he suffered from leprosy, and Mochua son f Lonan healed him of the leprosy.

Munnu son of Tulchan said this below:

Gift of knowledge and gift of a house from me to the grandson of Lonan of Meath,

gift of a son of whom Ireland will be full, reward of his rising to Tulchan's grandson.

There fell by Findtan the Fair a king for every tooth in his head,

and shortly before Doom will fall by him a king to whom flower-swarded Tara is due.
 

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Dasciometis with twelve thousand; Dasus; Eutecus; Zomeus; Gagus; Modestus; Deseus; Macerus; Macarius; Dicieus; Justus; Johannis; Beatus; Zefanus; Puerus; Geurgius. Also: moccu Gairb Abbot of Mag Bile (Movilla); Sillan magister (teacher or master).

Also: Fintan i.e. son of Tulchain with his monks that were under his discipline (yoke): two hundred thirty three which he did not burn up with the fire of his judgment...

Also: Mochuoc descendant of Liathan; Mancheni lobor (a leper); Mael Aithgeain.

Marginal notes from The Martyrology of Tallaght:

Two hundred, three and thirty

of the community of noble [masclach ?]

with the community of Tulchan's vigorous son,

though they were tuneful they used to sing lamentations.

[i.e., 'after the music of the Ordo and Mass they used to sing lamentations of wailing and tears for the love of God.']
 

The descendant of Tuathal Techtmar protected them,

Fiachra Fechtnach's son, the proud.

They broke bond and word

against the wanton wretched Devil.
 

They fear neither wealth nor ill-fortune,

nor burning exposed to the red fire. [day of judgement]

They sit upon seats in the presence of angels,

after the victory of hard vexatious battle.
 

The everlasting blessing of Christ from Heaven

on the dear pious austere school.

May we be under His safeguard on earth,

with Heaven beyond for our wretched souls!
 

Another poem:

Great Munnu son of mighty Tulchan,

son of Trian, son of Daig, son of Dian,

son of Dubthach Donn, who was a king,

son of Maan and son of Roede.
 

Roede and Conn Crinna together,

two fair sons of Feidlimid.

Feidlimid Rechtaid of the Maig,

son of Tuathal, son of Feradach.
 

Feradach Find Fechtnac of Fal,

the son of Crimthann Nia Nair.

... over evey height,

the son of Lugaid son of the Three Finds.
 

The Three Finds of Emain, without reproach,

glorious sons of Eochu Feidlech,

of that kingly host whose fame is fair,

is the noble bright race of Munnu.

TSI lists Tuda today, who lived a only a few months after taking over Lindisfarne on the northeast coast of England from Colman when Colman left. Tuda died of the plague in 664, but brought stability to Lindisfarne when so many Irish monks left England. He helped Jaruman (see May 5^th under Diuma) as one of the signers of the deed for St. Peter's Monastery in Mercia. After Tuda was Aidan's favorite of the youths trained at Lindisfarne: Eata, was called to be Bishop of Lindisfarne. Eata had been training noviatiates at Melrose. After Eata Cuthbert took over Lindisfarne (March 20^th).

TSI lists the Irish Wendel today who missionized near Trier Germany in the sixth century. He was returning from a pilgrimage to Rome, and settled in a solitary place near Trier, in western Germany. He then missionized between the Rhine and Moselle rivers. He was buried at Tholey at the place where his cell was, and it became known as a places of wonders and miracles, including stopping plague. A village grew around that place, becoming the town of St. Wendel. His cell later became the Benedictine Abbey of Tholey. Although later some said that he was a herdsman, the icons of him from that town show him as an Irish monk with a staff and Gospel. Not only are there many places in Germany named after Wendel, but a number of places in the United States are named Wendell or St. Wendell, named by people who settled from that part of Germany.
 

22 Oct /4 Nov The cross of Philippus the Bishop, with whom a pious host was slain;

Matthew, diadem of every kingdom, with the Passion of Eusebius.

Philip: at Adrianople in Thrace Philip and Eusebius suffered.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Matteus Apostle; Pilippus Bishop; Eusebius; Hermetis; Severus; Leugadus Bishop; Herma; Berma and five others; Eugathus; Toma. Also: Saint Cillenus; Saranus. (See the histories of Saints Philip and Matthew.)
 

23 Oct /5 Nov The departure of Longinus to the Kingdom that is highest:

he wounded - deed that is noblest! - Jesus' splendid delightful side.

The departure of Longinus, Longinus and Egitianus the names of the soldiers who stood by Christ. Longinue who wounded Christ's side and preached after his tongue had been cut out. [The soldier who pierced Christ's side at the Crucifixion of our Lord. See Irish Life of Longinus, Egerton 91, fo. 13a.]

Egitanus gave wine and vinegar to Him and Longinus seeing the signs wrought upon that day: the sun being made dark, the stones split and the earth trembling believed in the Lord Jesus and dwelled in the city of Caesarea in Capodoccia in the region of the province which is in Asia minor having taken on the life of the monks, saw twenty-eight years and suffered under the Octavianus.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Passion of Longinus Martyr who pierced Christ in the side. Who was later bound to Him. Cicilia virgin; Severus; Seusepus; Dorotheus; Seversus. Also: Dalbach of Cuil Collainge; Cilliani son of Doidnan. Saint Colmani; Mael Tuile son of Tiain; Laidcinn.
 

27 Oct /9 Nov Erc of treasurous Domnach Mór: Abbán an Abbot fair and train-having:

Odrán strong, noble (and) buoyant; Colmán grandson of Fiachra.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Tarsus; Policarpus; Gaius; Euminus; Noconus; Leogus; Metrobus; Diodorus; Marcianus; Lucius; Euminia; Eulalia; Insola; Anastasia; Victus; Protus; Gaius; Silinus; Januarius; Cerionis; Longus; Medrotus; Petrus; Tarreus; Cominus; Florentius; Celsius. Also: Abbani moccu Chormaic (also March 16^th); Augustin of Bennchor (Bangor); Colman descendant of Fiachra in Senbotha Fola; seven sons of Stiallain, from Raith. Also: Bishop Erc of Domnach Mor Maige Luadat; Odrani Priest in Letracha or from I (Iona); Rectini craibdech (the devout); Colmain; Airennain from Tech Airennan in Mide.

Brendan prophesied..

Marginal notes from The Martyrology of Tallaght:

[The following poem about Fasting properly belongs either next to November 13^th, at the beginning of the Advent Fast, or before the weeks of the Ember days, but this is a reminder that the fast is coming. Mael Ruain stated the "Pentecost Fast" is forty days, so the "Fast of the Apostles" is another time, the "Ember days."]

Lent of the Apostles, twelve days,

it must needs be kept

three days every quarter, a clear course

the Prophets of righteousness proclaim.
 

The first Wednesday, Friday dear,

the first Saturday of that month,

provided it is from March, a good work,

its beginning, its commencement.

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday of the course,

is the second week of July.

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday,

the third week of September.
 

And in the third full week

of December, excellent the meeting,

the three same days fittingly

are kept fasting for the son of the good and great God.
 

This is the order of the fasting

upon which He puts obligation,

with the good-will of my bountiful King:

no meat, no wine, no female.

It is sanctification for one merely

to fast on the Ember days,

without murmuring, a sinless cause,

great the reward of it before the Apostle.
 

The prayer of the twelve good men

to the King of Heaven, a strength that is not false,

May I attain to Paradise, lasting its fame,

After the fast of lent of the Apostles.

(TSI lists Colman of Kilmacduagh on October 29^th, but Oengus places Colman today, so the notes are here. This may or may not be the same Colman as listed in Oengus.) There are many Colmans. Colman was the son of Duac, born about 550 in Kiltartan in Galway and died A.D. 632. He was educated on Enda's monastery on the Aran Islands, and later he moved to Burren in County Clare. He loved prayer and long fastings. According to one legend, he was without food on the Sunday of Pascha after a long Lenten fast. (The Irish Lenten fast is from the day after Epiphany, January 7^th in winter, through to February 15^th at the temptation of Christ, but in many years there is no break and the fasting continues in the fast of great Lent. Both together are called, "Jesus' fast," as opposed to any fast of only 40 days, which is called "Moses' fast.") Several miles away his kinsman, king Guaire of Connacht was eating his festal meal when angels took the food away from him before his eyes. The king and his attendants chased after the angel and the food, and came to Colman's door. (There is a pathway in the rock terrain around Burren called the "road of the dishes.") The king relented, and with the Saint founded Kilmacduagh, the church of the son of Duac. Colman was the first Bishop of the territory known as the diocese of Kilmacduagh in Galway. Colman's crozier which is in the National Museum of Dublin, had been in the possession of the O'Heynes of the barony of Kiltartan, descendants of Guaire, and their kinsmen the O'Shaughnessys. The crozier had been used to take oaths and prove innocence or guilt. In Kilmacduagh the oratory of St. John may be as old as the time of St. Colman. There are also other later but notable ruins at that site, including a church and leaning tower older than Pisa.
 

28 Oct /10 Nov Ample is their assembly: Babylon their burial-ground:

Thaddaeus and Simon, huge is their host.

Thaddaeus [in Irish - Tathae] and Simon

Thaddeus and Simon, i.e. Judas, also called, Simon the Cannanite. Tatha who was called Judas, but not the betrayer of Christ. Simon the Cannanite who is called the brother of Jude the Apostle.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Simonis Cannanei and Tatheus Apostles; Samaridus; Sufronus; Cintus; Amantius; Suffronianus; Marandus; Archilaus (or Archillaus); Infianus; Ammarantus; Cintus; Johannis; Paulus; Zefanus; Lucus; Cirilla; Hirundinis; Marina; Bonifatius; Cartata and other Martyrs. Also: Mobeoc; Conan and Nath of Iona; Beoan and Mellan; Suibni; Dorbeni Abbot of I (Iona).
 

St. Simon Zelotes, and St. Judas, the brother of James (Thaddeus, and Lebbaeus), also called Jude. St. Judas is not the ungodly Judas Iscariot, but the holy St. Jude famous for his intercessions in lost causes. Lebbaeus means "ardent." Thaddeus means "he who renders praise."
 

The Holy Apostle St. Jude, one of the Twelve Apostles, was one of the "brothers of the Lord" who did not listen to our Lord at first (St. John 7:5). St. James, the "Brother of the Lord," knelt at the manger when Christ was born, and continued in adoration, sharing with Him his inheritance from St. Joseph, even though Jesus was not directly the son of St. Joseph (see December 27^th). When St. Jude realized the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and came to save sinners, even his brothers, he gladly followed the Lord. But he never allowed anybody to call him the Lord's brother, only the brother of James, because of his former lack of faith and lack of brotherly love (as he says in the beginning of his Epistle, Jude 1:1). Jude was born in Nazareth and was one of the sons of Joseph. The mother of Jude was Salome, daughter of Haggai who was the son of Barachiah, a brother of St. Zacharias who was the father of St. John the Baptist. St. Jude married a woman named Mariam. During the reign of the emperor Dometian (A.D. 81-96), two grandsons of St. Jude were brought to the emperor because of slanders, as they were descendants of David and kinsmen of the Lord. At the time, they were employed in working the land with their own hands. The emperor set them free when he saw they were no political danger to him.

When he did become a disciple and then an Apostle of Jesus Christ, St. Jude became very ardent, and after Pentecost spread the Gospel of Christ to many lands. According to the church historian Nicephorus, these lands included Judaea, Galilee, Samaria, Idumaea, Arabia, Syria, and Mesopotamia. He finally came to the home of king Abgar in Edessa, who had heard the Gospel from another Thaddaeus, one of the Seventy Apostles. [It is also a tradition that king Abgar had received a napkin with the Image of Christ, the "cloth of Edessa," and a letter from Jesus before His Passion.] St. Jude completed in Edessa what had not been finished by the other Thaddaeus.

It is said that St. Jude also preached in Persia, and wrote his Catholic Epistle in that land, in Greek. He was concerned that ungodly people had come among the believers, and were practicing sins in the name of Christian freedom. St. Jude expounds on the Holy Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the difference between good and evil angels, and the last judgment. He also asks us to turn away from sins, and patiently keep duties, faith, prayer, and love. He tells us to help those in error to return to the faith, but otherwise avoid heretics who will perish like the people of Sodom. He states that it is not enough to turn from paganism to Christianity, but also that we should do the good works of Christians. He reminds us of the punishments due to those who do not keep themselves from sin.

St. Jude preached in many lands, and he reached the lands around Mt. Ararat, converting pagans to Christians. But the envious pagan priests tortured him, and then hung him on a cross and ran him through with spears. He departed this life into heaven. The Celtic calendar states that today is his burial in Babylon. On July 1^st and October 28^th he is remembered together with St. Simon.

St. Judas, the brother of James - from the Bobbio Apostle's Creed, he said: 'Through Holy Baptism [there is] remission of sins.' Byzantine date of celebration: June 19^th. Roman date of celebration: (Thaddeus) Oct 28 Celtic Rite dates: July 1, Oct 28 burial in Babylon. (The Bobbio designations for some of the Apostles, such as St. Thomas, are obvious to us today, but the meaning of the designation for St. Jude is not known now, except that the Epistle of St. Jude is very concerned that in Christian Baptism we should give up our sins. His intercessions for those in the greatest need is well known, but we must give up our sins as well.)
 

St. Simon Zelotes - from the Bobbio Apostle's Creed, he said: 'I believe in the Holy Church.' Roman date of celebration: Oct 28. Byzantine Rite date: May 10^th. Celtic Rite dates: July 1, Oct 28 burial in Babylon. (This is not the St. Simon who was called "Peter" by Christ, but St. Simon the Zealot. St. Simon the Zealot is also not the kinsman of the Lord who succeeded St. James the Brother of the Lord as Bishop of Jerusalem, nor the ancient Symeon who held Jesus Christ in his arms when Jesus was an infant, saying, "Now let Thy servant depart in peace...")

St. Simon the Zealot was born in the town of Cana by the Sea of Galilee. Cana is not far from Nazareth, and the family of Simon was known to the Lord and the Birthgiver of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Simon was the bridegroom in the marriage of Cana. St. Simon had invited many people to his wedding, including the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Lord Jesus Christ Who had not begun his ministry in public yet, but who had some of his Apostles who also came to the wedding. Because there was a shortage of wine at the wedding, the Lord Jesus Christ turned water into wine (St. John 2:1-11).

From The Life of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos by Holy Apostles Convent, P.O. Box 3118, Buena Vista, Colorado 81211, "When the Saviour made water into wine at his wedding, at the behest of His all-pure Mother, Simon's heart was smitten with the love for Christ so much so that he forsook his own bride. He then left the wedding festivities and his very home and followed after Jesus." Kontakion of St. Romanos the Melodist (a Hymn of the Byzantine Rite), "At the wedding in Cana, I made water into wine at the behest of My all-pure Mother. There also, O Simon, I made thy heart zealous to follow Me in faith; I Who alone know what is in the heart." Also see The Lives of the Holy Apostles, St. Simon the Zealot, Isaac E. Lambertsen and Holy Apostles Convent.

Because St. Simon left his own wedding party to follow after Jesus Christ, he is known as "Zelotes" or "the Zealot." The Apostolic Canons forbid a man to put away (divorce) his wife in order to take a rank such as Bishop, but St. Simon's marriage could be said to have been annulled, not lasting even one day. People today may also not understand what the traditions mean that say, leaving his own bride for the love of Christ, Simon wedded his soul to the Heavenly Bridegroom. Christ is called the Bridegroom, but He did not form relationships with females or males of a sexual nature (St. Matthew 19:12). What is meant is that St. Simon left all interest in things of this world, his soul now being joined to God in the Heavenly kingdom, as the Lord Jesus Christ. And where would St. Simon find Heaven? As the Psalm says, "If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there." (Psalm 138:8, the Psalm for All Saints day.) In other words, as St. Paul said to the Athenians, "For in him we live, and move, and heave our being... For we are also His offspring." (Acts 17:28). The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you." [or in the midst of you.] ( St. Luke 17:21). The Lord Jesus also quoted a Psalm, "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods... I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High... Arise, O God, judge the earth; for thou shalt inherit all nations." (Psalm 81). We are made in the Image of God, therefore the kingdom of God must be within and among us. St. Simon worshiped the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, and therefore he wanted to follow Him. (For a further discussion of the Essence of God as seen in Person, read the explanation of the Orthodox Faith of St. John of Damascus. This is one of the most difficult of subjects to describe, in fact, in earthly terms it cannot be described, but some of the Saints have some worthy meditations on the subject.) Christ chose St. Simon as one of the Twelve Apostles.

On Pentecost all the Apostles received the gift on tongues from the tongues of the fire of the Holy Spirit. All the Apostles were able to preach the Gospel in any language so that all nations could be reached with the Word of God. St. Simon preached to many nations, including Egypt, Mauritania, Libya, Numidia, Cyrenia, and Abkhazia. Abkhazia was a region on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, and St. Simon brought many pagans there to the Christian Faith. St. Simon also went to Britain, with St. Joseph of Arimathaea, and it is said St. Peter, both visited. (St. Joseph of Arimathaea is said to have established a Church dedicated to the most holy Birthgiver of God, the Ever-virgin Mary at the hill of Glastonbury, and also established a monastery there, bringing with him the relic of the Holy Grail.)

Some sources say that in Britain St. Simon the Zealot was crucified by idolators and buried. This is from an early source, St. Dorotheus, Bishop of Gaza, A.D. 300. St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople A.D. 758-829, also a Church historian, also said that St. Simon the Zealot traveled to Britain. However, Celtic sources from the north say St. Simon was buried in Babylon, as the Roman tradition states. The Feast of Saints Simon and Jude on October 28^th are for their Martyrdom and burial in Babylon. Some place their Martyrdom in Persia. Other sources point to the city of Nikopsia, near Dzhigentia, which is now a ruined city thirteen miles from Sukhumi near the shores of the Black Sea. A Church was erected there on the site of the Saint's death that was renovated in 1875. It is probable that St. Simon traveled to all these places, and was probably abused in all of them, but it is not certain in which he was Martyred. Or, it might have been a confusion of names at the time, althuogh the names Persia, Dzhigentia, and Britain are not at all similar, and the languages of Gallican and Persian are not similar to each other. (There were Gallican people near the Black Sea who spoke a "P" Gaelic, similar to the Gaelic of Britain, although mostly they were in Galich, not Dzhigentia. Gallican people were scattered in many lands, including Italy.)

Notice that the Psalm for St. Simon pictures a man who found a resting place for the Lord, and describes the Church. The banquet of the Marriage of Cana also represents the wine Jesus gives us in His Holy Communion being the "good wine," superior to the water of the commentaries on the law, the six water pots which represent the "Mishnah" and "Talmud."

Epistle: Romans 5:1-9 (General Lections for Apostles.)
 

Psalm for St. Simon: Gradual Canticle, 131.

O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. How he swore to the Lord, he vowed a vow to the God of Jacob: If I shall enter into the tabernacle of my house: if I shall go up into the bed wherein I lie: If I shall give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids: Or rest to my temples: until I find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Behold, we have heard of it in Ephrata: we have found it in the fields of the wood. We will go into His tabernacle: we will adore in the place where His feet stood. Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting-place: Thou and the ark, which Thou hast sanctified. Let Thy Priests be clothed with justice: and let Thy Saints rejoice. For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Thy anointed. The Lord hath sworn truth to David, and He will not make it void: Of the fruit of thy womb I will set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant, and these my testimonies which I shall teach them: Their children also for evermore shall sit upon thy throne. For the Lord hath chosen Sion: He hath chosen it for His dwelling. This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it. Blessing I will bless her widow: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her Priests with salvation: and her Saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy. There will I bring forth a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with confusion: but upon him shall my sanctification flourish.
 

Psalm for St. Judas, brother of James: Gradual Canticle, 132.

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity: Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron. Which ran down to the skirt of his garment: As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion. For there the Lord hath commanded blessing, and life for evermore.
 

Gospel: St. Matthew 4:18-20; John 21:15-19 or Luke 6:6-19 (General Lections for Apostles.)
 

31 Oct /13 Nov Quintinus fair, crucified; Faelán with many bands,

they declare, with a host of fathers, the lofty end of October.

Quintinus, i.e. a Martyr: he was expelled from the city of Rome under the emperor Maximianus, and he came to the city of Amiens, and there he suffered under the prefect Riciouarus prefecto. Quintinus suffered in Gaul under the general Maximianus.

Faelan, i.e. Fursu's brother, i.e. an Abbot in Gaul, i.e. Fursa's brother, and he was a Martyr.

From The Martyrology of Tallaght: Quintinus; Rogatus Priest; Vincentius Deacon; Dagonus; Julianus; Silvanus; Calendionis; Felicissimus; Donatus; Rusticianus; Fortunatus; Mammus; Angelarus; Nundinus; Zefanus; Felix; Donatus; Valerius; Casta; Secunda; Maria; Galla; Celsus; Agapus. Also: Failani Martyr brother of Fursu. Also: Vitalis; Petrus; Crescentis; Saturninus; Vigilantus; Pilippus; Germanus; Teophilus; Marcus; Felix; Cirillus; Quintus. Also: Commiani Abbot and sixty eight others; Gallica. [A leaf lost here: no entries after today until December 17^th in The Martyrology of Tallaght.]

TSI lists Bee, Begha, or Begu today, who was an Irish nun living in England in the seventh century. Her father was a king, and she wished to enter the religious life against his wishes. An angel appeared to her and gave her a bracelet engraved with a Cross. The night before her wedding, she escaped across the Irish sea to the northwest of England. She spent time as a recluse, praying and caring for the poor and sick, but then she left that lift and presented herself to Aidan of Lindisfarne so that she could give her vows as a nun. (Some say that Bee is the same as Heiu who had also given her vows before Aidan, who gave up her position at Hartlepool in favor of the royal princess Hilda. Bede makes a connection between Hilda and Begu when Hilda died. Begu in another cloister saw Hilda in a glorious light ascending to heaven with the tolling of bells. The community gathered in the chapel to pray for Hilda, and found out by messengers the next day that Hilda had died.) Bee's monastery on the promontory called by her name was in use for nine hundred years. A twelfth century record tells that Bee's bracelet was used as a relic, and if something was sworn on it, that statement would be accepted without further question.

TSI lists Foillan or Fullane today, an Irish missionary to England and then Belgium, who died in A.D. 655. The town of Foses in Belgium has a great pageant for him every seven years called the March of Foillan, and his relics are taken from town to town in a procession (see the Prayer Book under Rogation processions before the Ascension; processions at the other times of the year are a very old tradition). Fursey (see January 16^th) missionized East Anglia with his brothers Foillan, Ultan, and others, and king Sigebert built them a monastery at Burghcastle in Suffolk. When Fursey set out on a pilgrimage to Rome twelve years later, Foillan governed the English mission, and he continued there until pagan Mercians destroyed it. The monks took as many books and church valuables as they could carry, and fled to France. By the time they arrived, Fursey had died and was buried in Peronne (he died in 648), and already many pilgrims visited the tomb of Fursey where great miracles occurred. A monastery for the exclusive use of Irish was built at that site, the first monastery of its kind on the continent of Europe. Foillan was the first Abbot of the monastery at Peronne, but he did not stay long. Abbess Gertrude of Nivelles heard about Foillan and Ultan, and she invited them to Nivelles to teach her monks and nuns the Liturgy, Scripture, and sacred chant. In the Breviary of Paris it says, "Rome at that time took care to have the relics of the Saints and holy Books brought to [St. Gertrude]." She also sent to Ireland for other holy men to teach her and her people "the canticles of the Holy Law which the Irish had almost by heart." (The Psalter, as reconstructed by the Celtic Orthodox Christian Church, matches the Lectionary and Propers for the year in sequence according to the numbering of the Septuigint, and music for these "Graduals and Alleluias" would have been known at that time.)

The monastery of Vossuensis was built on the banks of the Sambre for "Saints Fullane and Ultaneus, brothers of St. Furseus" (Latin endings on their Irish names). Gertrude's mother was Blessed Itta, and she gave Foillan a tract of land for a monastery at Fosses, and Foillan placed Ultan as Abbot over it. Foillan himself preferred missionary preaching, which he carried out with the help of the nobles Erchinoald and the family of Pepin of Landen, in the area of Brabant. A companion on these journeys was the Irish Fredegand (July 17^th), who became Abbot of Kerkelodor near Antwerp.

Foillan sang the vigil of the Feast of St. Quentin in Nivelles on October 31^st 655. (St. Quentin is on the day of October 31^st, and mentioned by Oengus, so this vigil occurred beginning the night before that.) After the vigil Foillan went back on the road of his missionary journey, and there he became a Martyr. The night after his departure, Ultan had a vision of a snow white dove whose wings dripped with blood, ascending to heaven. On January 16^th, two months later, the mangled body of Foillan was found in the forest of Seneffe. When his body was brought to Nivelles the mayor of the palace, Grimoald, and the Bishop of Poitiers, Dado, came there and assisted in carrying it into the monastery. (The mayor of a palace, or steward, actually had most of the power in France at that time, often more power than a king, and acted as a regent or governor.) Foillan's books and other things were treasured in Gertrude's convent. Nivelles and Fosses were both centers of Irish missions. Fosses was destroyed in 880 by Norsemen (Normans or Danes). The "Scots" (Irish) had been in control of it until that time. (Later Medievals gave all Irish monasteries in Europe to the English, because they did not understand that the earlier term "Scot" referred to the Irish, and the Irish who settled in the land of the Picts were called "Scottish" as opposed to "Pictish;" and therefore later when "Scotland" was under the control of the English, they assumed that anything "Scottish" belonged to them as well.) Foillan is commemorated in a number of churches in France and Belgium: Fosses on January 16^th when his body was found; Namur on October 31^st when Foillan was Martyred, the date of Ultan's vision; at Mechlin and Tournai on November 5^th. The "March of Foillan" is done in September.

Our jurisdiction is in great sorrow, as some members of our jurisdiction had lived many years in New York City, and worked in the World Trade Center during some of that time. We understand that some people will wonder what the opinion is of our jurisdiction concerning these events, and we welcome these kinds of inquiries. Concerning other inquiries, a quote from a recent letter in reply to an inquiry to the Celtic Orthodox Christian Church:

"At this time of great sorrow in the world, I hope that you have some prayers for the sick, the dying, the departed, the rescue workers, those who seek to bury the dead as Tobias was directed by the Archangel Raphael. Please pray for all those who have been accused of being 'Cross followers' by those who serve the devil and death. Questions such as 'Apostolic Succession,' 'churches in Ireland,' 'Epiklesis,' etc., are all already answered at the website. At this time of great sorrow and tragedy, at a time when the world is at the brink of war, I would ask you to read our website, pray for the departed, and share an Orthodox Christian spirit of true worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Other inquires are inappropriate at this time."

The point of most newsletters and calendars is to look ahead toward the coming month. However, the date of the second finding of the head of St. John the Baptist and the ascension of the Prophet Elijah, August 29/ September 11^th should be addressed. Included on that date was a mention of the end of the world, and a destruction of one "ale house" and then a second next to it, on that date. (The reason we keep dates on this Old Calendar is that the Old Calendar continues the practices of the Orthodox Churches as agreed through the centuries, and also that there have been several miraculous events that point to these dates as the dates that should be celebrated in the Church. The feast of St. John the Baptist occurs on the "New Calendar" September 11^th, due to the thirteen days difference between the calendars, bearing in mind that there are 31 days in August.) I am sure that if various intelligence agencies examined our newsletter, they already noticed this uncanny prediction of the destruction of two "ale houses" mentioned in the August newsletter, and repeated as a note about the calendar in September. Likewise, St. Adamnan of Iona (September 23/ October 6^th) had a vision (fis) of Heaven and Hell on this particular festival of St. John the Baptist, recorded by a later writer. This vision was plagiarized by Dante.

On a personal note...

Thank you for prayers regarding my minor operation which took place on August 29^th. Everything went very well, although the incision oozed blood and water for the first evening, which scared my family more than it did me. I took two weeks off from my secular job. One week after my operation, I developed a minor, but very painful, ear infection. I was unable to sleep for days, and when I did sleep, I had some very disturbing dreams. Sunday night, September 9^th, I dreamt that we were in a building that had a strange large window without glass, which an aircraft flew into. An ethnic war started. The last day before I was to return to my secular job was September 11^th. I watched in horror as I saw the live coverage of the collapse of the towers. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is in the rubble. I have heard that its icons were miraculously blown on top of the rubble! Also three crosses of steel were revealed in the rubble of tower one, upright. God has certainly noticed this event. May there be more miracles from the heavens protecting Christians!

Overcome with Prayer...

Every person should pray. It is traditional to pray eight times a day. The Breviary outlines these prayers. In the Byzantine Rite, other prayers are specified, but they also have eight times of prayer. The older Roman Rite also has eight times of prayer. Prayers to the Holy Trinity, the "Jesus Prayer," or for intercession from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Apostles, St. Michael and the Angels, and all the Saints, are also needed. Those who have secular jobs which interfere with times of prayer can use simpler forms of prayer, but they should remember to pray. The Holy Apostles together were able to overcome many cases of demon possession or deception through prayer. Especially for women who are being deceived and murdered, I pray that the Lord God break the chains of sin, releasing them from their enslavement to death. The Lord Jesus Christ said that He notices every sparrow that falls, and counts every hair on our heads! (St. Matthew 10:30, St. Luke 12:7, 21:18). Therefore, why should women be beaten for showing only a little bit of their hair on their heads, which God has created, and counts as precious? It is fine to cover the head in prayer and modesty out of free will and a love of God, but nobody should be tortured for their way of dress, or else that way of dress is not an offering to God, but is turning worship into an oppression and a lie.
 

The Rules God has asked of us, and the world...

The fact that Christianity has the best treatment of women should be emphasized. Christian women are allowed to study, although in the Orthodox Church women are not in major orders administering Sacraments. Every man in any nation who does not allow his daughter, sister, wife, or mother access to medical care, is committing murder by neglect. However, if these same men deal in opium poppies, and know that any small failing of family discipline will lead to the kind of destructive cycle of death and crime that opium causes, then they will deal out very harsh and irrational discipline towards their families. How can a nation survive if the women are expected to teach their children to read, but the women are not allowed to go to school to learn to read themselves?

Those who blamed a king, duke, or baron for the sins of a region, and then excommunicated an entire region, were also those who distorted the Christian view of the afterlife into a belief in "purgatory." Those who died in the World Trade Center included businessmen and ordinary secretaries and other people. Of the businessmen, many were like the publican "Levi" also known as St. Matthew, who repented and gave half his goods to the poor, and strove not to cheat any person. These men are giving their profits to the families of the victims. Of the businesses which were hit worst, I looked up what they did, and was surprised to find that the investment firm, "Cantor-Fitzgerald," at the address at One World Trade Center was involved in investment in technologies that would reduce carbon dioxide in the environment, and had been instrumental in promoting the "Kyoto" treaty which would prevent "global warming." They did this work before the tragedy of September 11^th. It almost seemed that those who had received money from the riches of petroleum to learn the skills needed to commit this massive crime had targeted a company that would reduce the use of petroleum. Every floor of each Trade Center tower was one acre of desks and people, times 110 floors per tower. The number of people dead or injured, every one made in the Image of God, was staggering. The building was designed to protect against hurricane winds and also great impact, but a terrorist attack involving super heated jet fuel, was not predicted when the buildings were built.

Some people have compared the "riches" of the United States to the poverty of some other nations. An extremely rich man capable of building schools and hospitals in every city, providing families with help, etc., is the last person who should point at others for their riches. The United States has often given money to others for humanitarian purposes only to find that those countries have spent the money on guns. For example, to stop the cycle of death and destruction around the world, earlier this year the United States gave forty three million dollars to the country of Afganistan so that farmers might grow crops other than opium poppies.

Any sin is a separation from God. Being the victim of a sin may cause a person to experience a separation from God that they did not cause. As a crime victim myself, having experienced this pain in 1985, I understand how a person may actually re-play the event over and over in their minds, and feel alone and lost. Re-playing the event is often not caused by anger, but by an attempt to fit the event into some kind of rational or meaningful understanding of reality. Sin is not rational or meaningful, so the confused victim can feel more and more powerless to explain the event to themselves, and more and more lost. The victim did not cause the crime, but they may blame themselves, or others may tell them not to feel bad. It is necessary to feel bad, just as every Christian feels bad on Holy and Great Friday, so that the realization of the truth of the Resurrection of the dead may become a part of understanding as well. Christians believe in eternal life; souls who die in violence need our prayers, because they too will be wandering through many "what if's." The list of names has been published at www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.center/victims   Please read every name, and remember that all were killed by those who call all of us "Cross followers," i.e., who follow or tolerate the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. We say, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on the sins of those who have departed this life." For each name, say, "Lord have mercy on their soul." The victims are Martyrs, witnesses of Christ. The victims and their families also need letters, cards, things that say we care. There are so many funerals in and around New York that many funerals are poorly attended, and the families do not realize that everybody is praying for them. Handmade artwork, icons, Crosses, pictures of your hometown and its involvement, teddy bears, might help. There are several Internet sites with more information; send these things directly to the families, and not to us. It is still a good idea to support helpful organizations such as the Red Cross. The Red Cross has raised a great deal of money, but nothing in comparison to the money the United States will spend in aid to Pakistan and Afganistan. Now that the United States government will focus on "tax cuts" rather than aid to the victims, families, and those who have lost their jobs, there will be more need for charity that actually goes towards those in need. Find ways to help families that have lost their loved ones or their jobs.

Often asserting that one sin such as adultery justifies another such as murder is similar to trying to set a limit on infinity. Any person who pridefully judges and kills others who are too loose in their morals is themselves a sinful person. Anger and killing are far more dangerous than a sin of permissiveness mistaken for charity. Do we put those people to death who have done this deed? Those who have committed the World Trade Center and Pentagon crime also sold tons of heroin around the world, causing much more death and destruction of others. I mentioned in a recent newsletter that the British mini-series "Traffik," which the American movie "Traffic" was based upon, is a very good movie to see. "Traffik" talks about the heroin trade from Afganistan to Europe. Many more thousands have died around the world due to overdoses from heroin than were killed on September 11^th. Each person that contributes to the drug problem contributes a little bit to murder in many other countries. They think that heresy justifies death, but they themselves are heretics, oppressing the stranger, abusing their guests, killing themselves for whatever reason; classed as heretics against their own religion, and certainly heretics against Christianity and Judaism.

St. Gregory of Tours, and many of the early desert fathers, did not believe in captivity and capital punishment of criminals. However, they provided spiritual illumination and conversion to a life of peace to those who committed crimes. The only reason that villages and countries tolerated such Christian ideals is that these same monks were able to pray to the Lord God to stop a plague, divert a flood, calm a volcano, etc. Great miracles were recorded in that age, and some of the greatest of these miracles of the early Saints included the genuine conversion of depraved serial killers. That is, the conversion of them to genuine Christianity of true belief and practices, including making a continuous effort to repair the damage they had caused. Those who say that we should be equally forgiving should realize that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself required that a sinner "repent" before being forgiven. The word "repent" means to repair. Although it is not possible to repair death, as much as possible support for families, help in rebuilding, etc. Should those who did this terrible deed be put to death? Those who live by the sword, die by the sword, but one never knows what the miracle of conversion might do. We cannot accept alms from sinners, so penance is difficult for them because we cannot accept their help, and a great crime must have years of penance according to church rules. However, there were some desert fathers in the early church who prayed for the conversion of the devil. There is no way to predict the outcome of prayer; only God knows.

Scholars have noted that the "Quran" says that all who do not follow the beliefs of Islam should be killed.  The Biblical Old Testament has similar directions for those who lived in the area of Israel when Joshua returned. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the Egyptian army was entirely destroyed. The New Testament has no such directions, except that Christ says, "I came not to send peace, but the sword." (St. Matthew 10:34). Yet, Christ never tells His followers to fight, instead allowing Himself to be crucified for our sins, because only our Lord Jesus Christ is able to practice the forgiveness of God. Traditional Christians pray for the military, but also for many kinds of people doing many different kinds of good works. For many, now is a time of mourning. For many, it is a time of righteous anger. Every step should be directed by prayer.  (Athiests such as John Lennon have imagined that they would cause no wars, but they preach survival of the fittest, social Darwinism, eugenics, and the right of the mighty to oppress the weak; a fact that these athiests hide when they tear down religious monuments and prevent prayer.)

The Holy Apostles were not "politically correct;" they did not believe that every religion is equally capable of bringing salvation and enlightenment. Those they converted had been pagans. In one pagan religion, the first commandment is that we should not be ignorant. (It is interesting that a religion such as Islam that preaches death to the ignorant also preaches that women must be ignorant.) The first Commandment of the Christians and Jews is to love the Lord God with all your soul, all your strength, all your heart, and all your mind. The first Commandment, many forget, is the most important Commandment. We should love God, and, even the pagans note that we should avoid ignorance. This is our license to teach others; or our command to teach others about the Holy Trinity. We do not kill others to teach them; as Christ states we must love our neighbor as ourselves, and He immediately gives the illustration of the good Samaritan. However, we must never equate a religion such as Islam with Christianity. Not all Moslems committed this recent crime, and Moslems have sometimes protected Christians, such as the Syrians protecting Armenians, and centuries earlier those in Syria protecting St. John of Damascus and others who loved icons. We must not treat others in a mean way, but in the recent weeks, some secular leaders have equated all religions, and this must not be done. Islam denies the Holy Trinity as One God in Three Persons, and although mentioning Jesus and Mary, the "Quran" treats them as minor, not the Son of God and His blessed mother. Judaism accepts as true Scripture Abraham's meeting with the three Angels who he calls "Lord," in Genesis chapter 18. Those who dare to call themselves a "religion of Abraham" would include this meeting with the three Persons of our one God. Christianity, unlike Islam, does not preach death to the ignorant, but we do preach that the Word must be shared.
 

On the vision of Adamnan...

Adamnan of Iona (Eunan, a diminutive of "Adam") did not record his own visions of Heaven and Hell. These were the "Fis" (vision, pronounced "fish"), but were written from fifty to seventy five years afterwards by another author, and it appears that some embellishments were added. Recently, some people outside the Orthodox Church have questioned the existence of hell. It is important, therefore, to mention this vision for 'modern' readers. Adamnan's vision took place at the feast of St. John the Baptist, August 29/ September 11^th, which has an uncanny resemblance to current world events. Adamnan's other accomplishments, such as the liberation of women from military draft in Ireland, resolution of the calendar controversy, his books such as a biography of Columba and a travel guide to Palestine, are also important. He had the monastery of Iona give up the calendar of St. Colum cille, earlier called the calendar of St. Peter and Rome, because by the time of Adamnan, Rome had changed its calendar to correspond to Alexandria, and that "new calendar" which differed from the earliest calendar by a few days, often caused Pascha to be on a different date from one church to another in mission territories such as England. Those who had been missionized by monks from Canterbury sent by St. Gregory Pope of Rome were on the "new" Roman and Byzantine calendar. This calendar controversy had caused great difficulty at the missions of Lindisfarne, an island off York, and the center of all missions in England in the north.

The details of Adamnan's vision point to the certainty of the existence of heaven and hell. Heaven is so beautiful that the stones and pillars make music. (On the 87^th floor of the World Trade Center before it fell, the wind moved the building causing it to sing. Very tall pillars do make noise. The steel in the Trade Center was reinforced with saphire, and again, the early predictions of the Irish that the jeweled pillars of heaven would make music has been proven true.) God does not have the form of a man, which is found in the writings of the desert Fathers of Egypt recorded by St. John Cassian. There is a red glow about the heavenly Father, which, according to Whitley Stokes, who translated many of the Irish writings, signifies "divine love, creative power, royalty." The Saints also sing the Hours eight times a day, as in the Breviary. Adamnan describes the Cherubim as birds, perhaps because of their wings, and the most beautiful music from them. Hell is dreary and horrible. For people who have done some good deeds and some bad deeds, they alternate between some rest during the times when the Hours are sung in heaven, and some torment. Since the Last Judgement has not yet occurred, they are not in the worst place where the demons reside, and God may burn off their evil. This is not the same as the later idea of purgatory, because none of the souls have reached their final destinations before the Last Judgement, and all of the lower region is called hell.

There are a few places where those who are going through trials soon after their death will experience things in different ways. For example, the righteous pass through a river with the sense of cleansing, and pass through a wall of fire with no hesitation or pain, while sinners take much longer to pass through these, and the river and wall of fire cause them great pain and sorrow. The righteous are welcomed to heaven after their trials, but sinners are sent to hell, where they will find themselves in different circumstances depending on the severity of their sins, and any good deeds which they might have done. Sinners are not sent to hell because their earlier deeds during their life on earth were sinful, not because they psychologically cower at the river and wall of fire. There have been some later writers who have thought that a person's attitude towards visions after death is the only difference between heaven and hell: a lake of fire that torments one might be the glowing divinity which is wonderful to another. Christ's teaching (St. Luke 16:19-31) about the poor Lazarus and the rich man do not agree that attitude is the only explanation for the division between heaven and hell: if one is in hell, one cannot simply pass to heaven with a change of attitude. Earth is not hell; during life on earth there is an opportunity to change one's attitudes and actions, and often the prayers of others can help lead to forgiveness of sins. There are many trials on earth, and often it is very difficult to keep ones faith, but God watches our efforts, and may forgive our shortcomings. In the Orthodox Church, there has always been prayer for the dead, and we also ask them to pray for us. Although the trials soon after death might be met with different attitudes, after that there is a truly different experience. As an example of punishments in hell, paragraph 28:

"Another great multitude is there, clad in red and fiery mantles down to their middle [or to the ground, as a long cloak which meets in the middle]. Their trembling and their outcries make themselves heard, even unto the firmament. An unspeakable throng of demons is throttling them, holding in leash the while raw-hided, stinking hounds, which they incite to devour and consume them. Red glowing chains [or wheels] are constantly ablaze about their necks. Every alternate hour they are borne up to the firmament, and the next hour they are dashed down into Hell's profound. Now they that are punished in this wise are the regulars [monks and nuns] who have transgressed their rule, and become loathers of piety; also, impostors who have deceived and seduced the multitude, and have undertaken miracles and wonders which they are not able to perform. Moreover, the children that are tearing the men in orders, are they who were committed to them for amendment, but they amended them not, neither reproved them for their sins."

An example of those who attacked "Cross-followers," paragraph 25:

"Another great company is there, near to the last-named group, and monstrous their torment. And this is their plight: they are fettered to fiery columns, a sea of fire about them up to their chins, and about their middle fiery chains, in the shape of vipers. Their faces are aflame with agony. They who are tormented thus are sinners, fratricides [or parricides, or one who has killed a fellow tribesman], ravagers of God's Church, and merciless Erenachs [a church guardian who keeps the church's money], who, in the presence of the relics of the Saints, had been set over the Church's tithes and oblations, and had alienated these riches to their private store, away from the Lord's guests and needy ones."

Notice here that there are not a group of young women entertaining them, but chains in the shape of vipers. Some outside of the church think they will be entertained by women after death, but the souls of women would not be involved in such a thing, as our Lord says concerning the Resurrection of the Dead, St. Matthew 22:23-32 "For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven." In other words, women shall also worship God, and so shall the angels. We know that the Blessed Virgin Mary and many other women are numbered among the Saints in heaven, and therefore any other view of the souls of women after death is an outrageous lie and offense to God Who made men and women. Angels serve people on earth, but in heaven, all turn towards God. Those angels who are not turned towards God after the resurrection of the dead are demons, and this turning away from God will cause eternal torment. In heaven, the love of God is sufficient for all joy, and all people in heaven will appreciate their neighbor but not use their neighbor in selfish lust. Although modern readers often find the zeal of "The Pastor of Hermas" overbearing, this book emphasizes the need for the love of God overruling selfish love. The vision of St. Adamnan concerning this torment is dreadful to contemplate; for these criminals an eternal writhing pain in a vision of the flames of the towers of the trade center.

The later recording of this vision fifty to seventy-five years after St. Adamnan might be inaccurate as to specific circumstances, but often during that period, bards and monks alike were known to be able to memorize exactly very long epics, sermons, and books of Scripture. The concern in this present time is that the heresies of the last 1400 years may be causing more confusion and torment for those caught up in attacks. Suicide is sinful. Heresy and worship that does not acknowledge the Holy Trinity leads to grave consequences, breaking the First Commandment to love God and no other. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Three Persons, and is One God. No prophet could do the miracles of Christ. Elijah, who rose from the dead August 29/ September 11^th was taken to heaven by God, but Elijah did not do this on his own. As St. Theophylact says in his commentary about the rich man and poor Lazarus, we study the teachings of Christ, because the miracles of Christ and the Apostles such as raising the dead, never led sinners to conversion. If these miracles had caused conversion, the Apostles would not have been Martyred. The beauty of the miracles is appreciated by those who already appreciate the teachings of Christ, such as the Beatitudes, Parables, etc.

Deaconess Elizabeth Dowling

Occasionally our clergy have to travel for various reasons.  It is hoped that people interested in our work will take the opportunity to meet with them when this occurs.

This is a partial calendar intended primarily to show the dates of moveable observances and primary feast days. Dates are as on the secular calendar except for dates where Orthodox date is followed by the secular calendar date. For convenience, entries for Fast Seasons and Feasts observed with a Fast are shown indented.

Sept 24/Oct 7 Conception of Saint John the Baptist [W] (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Sept 29/Oct 12 Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel [W]
Sept 30/Oct 13 Saint Jerome[W]

Oct 1/14 Saint Luke the Evangelist[W] NinteenthSunday after Pentecost

Oct 21 Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost [P] (Matins Gospel X, Sunday II)

Oct 28 Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost [P](Matins Gospel 1, Sunday III)

Nov 4 Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost [P](Matins Gospel II, Sunday IV)

Nov 11Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost [P](Matins Gospel III, Sunday V)
Nov 1/14 Feast of All Saints  [P] (General Requiem for the Departed)

Nov 18 Twenty-Fourth Sundayafter Pentecost [P](Matins Gospel IV, SundayVI)
Nov 11/24 Saint Martin of Tours [W]

Nov 25 Last Sunday after Pentecost [P](Matins Gospel V, Sunday VII)

     Nov 13/26 Advent (Moses') Fast Begins[P]

          Dec 2 First Sunday in Advent [P]
          Nov 21/Dec 4 Entry into theTemple of the Birthgiver of God [W]

          Dec 9 Second Sunday in Advent [P]
          Nov 30/Dec 13 -  Apostle Andrew [W]