Life of Saint Stylian
Memorial Day: December 9
In the 5th century, Stylian was born in Adrianople. The city was located in Paphlagonia, hence the name of the saint. He was blessed from an early age. The older and smarter the future saint became, the closer he became in spirit to the mercy of God. From a very young age, he strove to live holy and correct.
He always considered his father's inheritance as an anchor that was a weight on his shoulders. Therefore, when he reached his majority, the saint distributed all his belongings to the poor. Stylian always helped the needy and the poor. After he indulged in monastic life, he was tonsured in one of the monasteries in Asia Minor. He lived simply, without excesses.
Stylian settled in a cave in a deserted desert. After years of solitude, God decided to grant him the ability to heal children and be their protector. After that moment, people pulled up to the cave, waiting for help and believing in him. The monk lived to a ripe old age.
They pray to him for the gift of children and their health
“Truly I tell you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:1-4) - these words of the Savior were constantly kept in mind by the holy ascetic, striving to acquire pure childlike faith. His heart was filled with faith in Christ, and his children were a reflection of the Divine Light of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Greek legends put the following words into the mouth of St. Stylian:
“If humility is the basis of virtue, then childhood, by its nature, is more virtuous than the greatest philosophers.”
And the Lord, who knows the heart, granted his saint the special grace of protecting babies, glorifying him with miracles of healing children. Unhappy mothers brought their seriously ill children, whom he took in his arms and offered up his fervent prayers, and the Lord showed his mercy every time.
The parents asked the humble ascetic for spiritual help for their offspring, who were left in his temporary care. Therefore, Saint Stylian is also called the progenitor of the first Christian kindergarten.
He also became famous as a miracle worker for infertile spouses. The first to receive help was a childless, pious Christian woman who helped the God-loving monk manage the children. Subsequently, many unfortunate spouses who came to him, through the prayers of the humble monk, became parents of many children.
Today, like sixteen centuries ago, St. Stylian of Paphlagon is asked:
- about healing children and giving them health;
— assistance in raising children and their spiritual care;
- infertile spouses about childbearing;
— parents with many children about intercession of their children;
— believers about strengthening in faith, spiritual and physical help.
This is interesting: Akathist to the patron saint of children Stylian of Paphlagon
How do prayers help Stylian of Paphlagonia?
Saint Stylian helps not only children, but also adults in conceiving and healing children. They say that the saint will help with almost all ailments. He gave many single women hope for a child, and some actually became happy mothers of many children. Therefore, to this day, in difficult situations, women read a prayer for the gift of children to Saint Stylian. The Reverend can also help:
- If a child goes on a long journey without parents;
- Trust your child in yourself, stop being afraid and forget your fears;
- So that the child does not get sick;
- If schoolwork is difficult, there is misunderstanding with peers, bad grades.
How to pray to a saint correctly
At the time when the righteous Stylian lived, adults with their children came to his cave to receive help and support from the holy elder. Approaching Stylian’s habitat, the parents knelt down and, weeping bitterly, begged the elder for intercession before the Lord. Stylian took the babies in his arms and turned to God with a request to heal the babies from various diseases. Since the elder led a righteous life and had strong faith, the children were healed, and their parents offered thanksgiving prayers to the Creator.
After the death of the saint, they turn to his icon, pronouncing the words of the prayer texts. Today Stylian is asked:
- about the birth of healthy children;
- about conceiving a child if one of the parents is diagnosed with infertility, and doctors cannot help;
- about healing children from serious illnesses;
- about protection from evil forces and blessings in everyday affairs.
When turning to a saint, you should not count on an instant result; in order to get what you ask for, you must adhere to a few simple rules:
- It is recommended to purchase an icon of St. Stylian of Paphlagon and recite the texts of prayers while looking at the image of the saint. Such icons, as a rule, can be purchased at any church shop; you must first consecrate the image in an Orthodox church.
- When turning to a saint for help, it is necessary to cleanse the heart and mind of evil thoughts, envy and negativity towards other people.
- The most important thing is to believe that the saint will definitely send a blessing in due time, and not to despair if there is no result yet, in this way the Higher powers test the strength of the Christian’s faith.
Texts of prayers to Saint Stylian
Troparion, tone 3
A pillar of inspired abstinence, an unshakable pillar of the Church, Stylian, you have become, blessed. You have trusted the Lord from your youth, you have appeared as the abode of the Spirit, Reverend Father, pray to Christ God to grant us great mercy.
Kontakion, tone 4
From the womb you were sanctified, as the Divine Samuel, who bore God, ascetifully glorified Christ God. In the same time of healings, you appeared as a treasure and divine representative of youths and infants, for Christ brightly glorifies you, even from your youth, Stylian, you glorified.
Prayer
Oh, sacred head, like Father Stylian! Having fought a good fight on earth, in heaven you received the crown of righteousness from Christ our God. Moreover, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. Honoring your great boldness before the Lord, we humbly pray to you, holy father: look with the gracious eye of your love on us, your unworthy servants, and strive to accept God With your new intercession, ask the King of kings and the Lord of lords, may He add His great and rich mercies to may He give us the spirit of the right faith, the spirit of love, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, may He deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes, may He send down all that is useful for salvation ours. To her, Holiness of God, do not disgrace our trust, which we place on you according to God and the Mother of God, but be our helper and protector for salvation, so that we may be worthy to end our life in repentance and acceptance Let us remember eternal goodness in the Kingdom of Christ our God, and let us glorify the Father’s love for mankind and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your holy intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
( 6 ratings, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Prayer
Oh, sacred head, Rev. Father Stylian! Having fought a good fight on earth, in heaven you received the crown of righteousness from Christ our God. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. Honoring your great boldness before the Lord, we humbly pray to you, reverend father: look with the merciful eye of your love on us, your unworthy servants, and strive through your God-pleasing intercession to ask the King of kings and the Lord of lords, so that He may add His great and rich mercies to May he give us, sinners, the spirit of the right faith, the spirit of love, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, may he deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes, may he send down everything useful for the salvation of our souls. To her, Holiness of God, do not disgrace our hope, which we place in you according to God and the Mother of God, but be our helper and protector for salvation, so that we may be worthy to end our life in repentance and receive eternal goodness in the Kingdom of Christ our God, and glorify the love of mankind of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your holy intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Life
The holy saint Stylian was born in Adrianople in the 5th century and was a joy for his parents. From childhood, the Monk Stylian showed a penchant for a peaceful life of prayer, respect for elders, and had a cheerful and gentle disposition.
At a young age, he received an inheritance and without hesitation distributed it to the poor. Having received freedom from worldly duties, Saint Stylian entered a monastery.
Here, from the stern monastic mentors, he received lessons in asceticism, prayer and obedience, and over time he surpassed them in feat. The young monk limited his sleep and food, had no property, sought purity, simplicity, and stood before God in prayer.
Desiring solitude and even greater feat of prayer, Saint Stylian left the monastery and went to live in distant lands. A rocky cave became his cell. According to pious legend, for the purity of his life and prayer the saint was awarded the Divine presence, jubilation of spirit and tranquility. He could, without breaking prayer and internal concentration, go out to people to help, bless and instruct the suffering.
The saint's heart was especially disposed towards children. He loved and cherished the purity and kindness of their hearts, deeply sympathized with the difficult life of ordinary families and sought to help them bear the burden. Saint Stylian could heal children suffering from physical ailments by simply laying on his hand. However, he cared even more about strengthening their spirit, instructing, talking, spending whole days with the children.
It is generally accepted that the saint was in charge of the world’s first improvised kindergarten, since parents with gratitude and reverence brought their children to him, left them to play and listen to instructions.
The Monk Stylian helped many childless and desperate spouses to beg for their long-awaited child. Often barren wives became pregnant with many children and, with tears of joy, brought their sons and daughters to the hermit’s blessing.
According to legend, the elder’s face was always illuminated with a smile, he was friendly, had a kind and easy disposition, and indifferently rejected “commercial” offers to profit from his gifts.
Saint Stylian lived to a ripe old age and departed to the Lord with a radiant face and a smile of joy.
Patron of children
For his unparalleled mercy towards children, the hermit is depicted on icons with a swaddled baby in his arms.
Saint Stylian is one of the favorite saints in the Catholic Church and in the Cathedral of Greek Orthodox Saints. In Greece and Bulgaria, an icon of the saint can be seen in every church; in Rus', a general veneration of the memory of the patron saints of the infants, St. Julian of Cenomania and St. Stylian of Paphlagon, has been established. The miraculous icon is located in the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery.
Icon of St. Stylian of Paphlagonia - patron saint of children
St. Stylian of Paphlagon
Happiness is when there are children in the family. The Lord said: But it happens that spouses do not have children for a long time, although they dream of a large family. God's plan is mysteriously hidden from us. Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Mother of God, also wanted to have a child and prayed for a long time. And, although in the ancient Jewish people childlessness was a shame and was condemned, they did not despair, believed God and asked Him to give them a child.
An amazing pattern can be traced in the Holy Scriptures - all children begged for, asked for in long, humble waiting are blessed by God. Many saints help childless couples in prayers for deliverance from childlessness.
These are just Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Virgin Mary, the holy righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of the prophet John the Baptist, there are many other helpers - holy and blessed Anna, the mother of the prophet Samuel, or, for example, saints Xenia of Petersburg and Matrona of Moscow. Among the saints who help in childbearing is the Venerable Stylian of Paphlagon.
Hymnography
A pillar of inspired abstinence, an unshakable pillar of the Church, Stylian, you have become blessed. You have trusted the Lord from your youth, you have appeared as the abode of the Spirit, Reverend Father, pray to Christ God to grant us great mercy.
Sanctified from the womb, like the Divine Samuel, you have glorified Christ God with God-bearing asceticism. In the same way, you appeared to be a treasure trove of healings and a divine representative of youths and infants, for Christ brightly glorifies you, whom you glorified from your youth, Stylians.
