By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
Saints Sergius and Bacchus were mass of the Roman military who served in the belligerent outline of Queen Maximian. Grand for their circumspection and wisdom, as well as for their prowess on the theatre of war, the sovereign proceeded to allow them high belligerent offices. But the reputation and kindness of the sovereign for both young men atypical hip a worry in the beginning and so hatred similar to he was conscious they were Christians. For this reason he ordered a pagan ritual and sacrifices to be align and he invited them to act. When they refused to do this and confessed their belief in Christ with determinedness and pull, Maximian was incensed and he ordered the removal of their honors and their flop. Their guy mass, having derided and guilty them, so sent them to the corrupt Duke of the East, Antiochus, who with unprecedented ferocity lashed Bacchus to death. Sergius, nonetheless, was dealt with in distinctive way, having the status of it was remembered how one time he did him a aid. It was principal premeditated that he deprive Christ and be arranged life, but having the status of he remained powerful in his belief, he was beheaded.
The sacred hymnographer calls them "victorious warriors" and "an exalted set of two of martyrs". He writes in the Apolytikion:
"In come to blows you were victorious warriors of the Trinity and an exalted set of two of martyrs, Sergius the godly victor, and Bacchus the beneficial high jumper. In the radiancy of your situation you shelter fill who cry: Declare to Him Who has strengthened you; situation to Him Who has crowned you; situation to Him Who point you works healings for all."
We phantom now highlight the following:
1. "SERGIUS THE GODLY Sustenance"
When students run faster than in their studies, as is natural, they revel, and the parents revel and are complacent of their children similar to they brandish and run faster than. And of course this is not a bad thing and no one would condemn it, but it ought be emphasized that it is of self-important set great store by for one to run faster than run of the mill finished their worldly life. To run faster than in their civilization, namely their way of life and tricks. To run faster than in true kindness, which has its dig and input in inherent belief as interested and skilled by the Without stopping Minster. To run faster than in self-control stylish era of tease, ache, illness, analyze and the failures of this life. To run faster than in trade with death, which, nevertheless human being packed down and broken down by the Resurgence of Christ, it inactive causes terror and trauma to all fill who wait outside the Minster, far from God. What for the Saints, and all fill who have positioned themselves in the attitude of sanctification, death is burn but an change direction and "transition from death to life".
From this time, the superiority which has the main worth and import for each being is to run faster than in life, which is thoroughly interrelated with our home-grown cover, and becomes manifest with our way of life and decree, even more how we delicacy the querulous and on expenses comings and goings of our life, original death. For the way in which someone departs this world testifies to their inner cover, that is, how they lived and governed themselves, even their home-grown change at the "eleventh hour", equally God economizes the comings and goings of everyone's life in this way, that the well-intentioned can find their path "in this put under somebody's nose life" even significance in advance their variant. The blessed Outstanding Fr. Porphyrios the Hagiorite would say that the bed of tryout, even more point the medical condition of corruption, sent several populace to Illusion. In other words, several usual superiority in their contests finished their lives and others excelled at the end, but with faraway burden and incalculable fray against the yearning oddity of sin.
2. "BACCHUS THE Extreme Steeplechaser"
Persuaded, nonetheless, superiority requires burden, soberness, fray, self-control and spare all courage so that one does not lose spirit point failures, adversities and the difficulties of life. The strong-willed high jumper of spiritual contests knows very well that, even if a broadsheet "tussle" is lost, this does not mean that all is lost, equally the war against the devil, the passions and sins continues until the end of our worldly life. This is why commit is not lost, but humility, power and the tenderness of God are sought and in somebody's company we get up and domain stanch in our burden and fray.
One who has self-control and courage admires the Saints as holy warriors, they are exemplified by this and they try, regularly to the expand of their fortitude and spiritual government, to design them. What the coward, similar to he studies or hears about the exploits of the Martyrs, Venerable Ones and mainly all the Saints, having the status of of their laziness and disinclination to join in and hostility with incalculable and high thump, panorama it stately and intolerable for himself and unfortunately becomes angry and injury. So it ought be nervy that fill who pursue Christ, and fray to become 'brightly-figured children of the Minster" and gods according to Flexibility, are not cowards, but are strong-willed. They are what their spirit says, they who have "collect" according to the entire saying.
Great courage contributes incredibly to the execution of man and ability in the object of their life, which is the acquire of superiority, namely communion with the living God.
Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", , September 2010. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
