Venerable Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming, founder of the Hilandar Monastery

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Saint Simeon of Serbia, the Myrrh-Streamer, is mostly associated with many miracles that occurred not only during his life, but also after it. There are many positive reviews and stories about the grace that descended on them after praying to this saint.

Life of Saint Simeon

In the world he was better known as the Prince of Serbia. His rule was very wise and therefore most of the country was given to his power. He lived in the 12th century. He worked hard for the welfare of his homeland. He had the strength to unite the lands and achieve independence.

For such activities, he more than once received angry reproaches from his relatives. To make life easier and give him positive emotions, the Lord gave him the daughter of the Byzantine emperor as his wife. He zealously defended his people from heresies. He tried to make Serbia an Orthodox church and, to spread Orthodoxy, built a large number of churches not only on its territory, but also beyond its borders.

Later he allocated money for their maintenance. But the most amazing incident of his life was his abdication of the throne to devote himself to serving the Lord. At that time he was already 82 years old when he went to the Holy Mountain with his son. He founded the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos. He died at the age of 86. In our time, his relics rest in the Studenitsky Monastery, where he began his monastic life. Until now, his requests have not gone unheeded.

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Venerable David of Gareji

Saint David of Gareji is a great Georgian saint, who is well known and highly revered in Georgia. More and more residents of our country are also learning about Saint David, resorting to his gracious help. The Venerable David of Gareji has special grace from God to help women with “female” ailments, and childless spouses with the birth of children. In Georgia, Saint David is revered as widely as Saint Nicholas in Rus'; Georgian women turn to St. David for help and especially venerate his holy spring on Mount Mtatsminda, whose healing waters help with various ailments.

Venerable David of Gareji Photo: azbyka.ru

Saint David was not a Georgian; he arrived in the Georgian lands from Syria among the 12 disciples of Saint John of Zedazni. To perform his monastic exploits, the Monk David chose Mount Mtatsminda, where he spent his days in solitude, and on Thursdays he went down to the city of Tbilisi to instruct local residents in the Christian faith. By that time, paganism—fire worship—had become widespread in Tbilisi, although the Georgian country had already been enlightened by the Light of Christ’s faith and the exploits of Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles. Reverend David worked hard to return the hearts of Georgians to Christ. However, the pagan priests did not like the works of the saint; they decided to slander him, persuading one fallen girl to blame David for her fall. Residents of Tbilisi summoned the holy hermit to trial. The Monk David approached the girl who had accused him, touched her womb with his staff and asked: “Am I your father?” A voice was heard from the womb: “No,” and the name of the real culprit of the sin was named. After this, in front of the surprised people, this girl gave birth to a stone. In memory of this amazing event, through the prayers of the Monk David, a holy spring with healing water flowed on Mount Mtatsminda, to which Georgians still resort in their infirmities. The Monk David became the founder of the famous Georgian monastery - the David-Gareji Lavra, where his holy relics rest to this day. In the Lavra of St. David there is also a holy spring, produced through the prayers of the saint, called “Tears of David”, since the small streams of the source resemble tears.

Special veneration of the Venerable David of Gareji has been performed in recent years in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh in Moscow (metro Kitay-Gorod, Pokrovka St., 13). Every Monday at 18:00 a prayer service to St. David is held in the church, which attracts many believers. In the temple there are three revered icons of the saint, one of which contains a particle of his relics. Over several years of special veneration of St. David in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, many cases of miracles and healings of women from various female ailments were recorded; many women were able to avoid surgery. There are especially many cases of long-awaited births of children to spouses for whom doctors did not give any hope. Many male babies born through prayers to St. David are named after him. You can see many pregnant women at prayer services to the saint, since the Monk David also helps with the successful pregnancy.

Also in the church on Pokrovka you can buy blessed oil of St. David and holy water from a Georgian source from Mount Mtatsminda, as well as holy water from a Georgian source of the David-Gareji Lavra.

SACRED:

Saint Simeon's Vine

As already mentioned, many people mention in their stories about the vine of Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming. There is a legend about its origin. The brethren of the monastery on the Holy Mountain suffered greatly from the fact that the relics of the saint were lost. One day a saint appeared to them in a dream and said that they had to be sent to Serbia. Instead, a grapevine grew on his grave. It was from that moment that she appeared.

It grows at a height of 1.5 m from the ground, and the stem emerges from an empty tomb. Everyone believes that as long as it bears fruit, the blessing of the saint will rest there. The grapes from it are dried and distributed to all those in need. The vine of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming has special power in helping childless couples. But besides this, it helps with:

• healing from all sorts of ailments, both physical and mental;
• strengthening faith;
• guidance on the true path;
• granting material and mental balance.

Holy Righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth

(memory September 18 according to New Art)

Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth were the parents of the holy Prophet of the Lord John the Baptist. But these spouses experienced the joy of fatherhood and motherhood after many years of childlessness. The Gospel of Luke tells in detail about God's miracle, according to which the already middle-aged couple received a long-awaited child.

Holy Prophet Zechariah and Holy Righteous Elizabeth Photo: www.pravmir.ru

Zechariah and Elizabeth came from the Aaronic family: Saint Zechariah was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and Elizabeth was the aunt of the Most Holy Theotokos (her mother’s sister). The couple lived piously, but suffered from infertility, which in Old Testament times was considered a great punishment from God. More detailed information about their life has not been preserved, but God's mercy, announced to them by the Archangel Gabriel, is well known to believers.

One day the priest Zechariah, according to his turn, served in the Jerusalem temple. There, entering the sanctuary to burn incense, Zechariah saw the Angel of the Lord standing to the right of the incense altar. It was Archangel Gabriel - the messenger of God, whom the Lord sends to earth to announce His will to people. The priest was frightened, but the Angel reassured him, saying: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,” and told him that the Lord favored him and his wife, Elizabeth, and, despite their advanced age, would grant them the birth of a son. The Archangel foretold to Zechariah that his son would be great before the Lord and many would rejoice at his birth.

Zechariah doubted the truth of this prediction, for which he was struck dumb. The Archangel announced: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God; I have been sent to tell and preach this to you. And because you did not believe my words, you will be mute and will not say a single word until all this is fulfilled.” Struck by the miracle, Zechariah left the sanctuary to the people in the temple and could not speak, but only explained himself with gestures, and the people realized that he had some kind of vision. When Zechariah's days of serving in the temple ended, he returned home, and Elizabeth actually conceived a child.

When the long-awaited son was born, Elizabeth announced that she would name him John. The family's relatives were surprised, since there was no such name in their family. When they asked Zechariah what to name the child, he wrote the same name “John” on the tablet, and at that moment he was healed of dumbness and began to speak.

When King Herod heard from the Magi about the birth of the Messiah, he decided to kill all male children under two years old in Bethlehem and its surroundings, hoping that the Messiah would be among them. Herod knew about the miraculous birth of John into the family of the priest Zechariah, and the baby also had to suffer. The killers were specially sent to the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, but the child was not found there. In Hebron, where the holy family lived, it became known about the terrible tragedy that was happening in Bethlehem, and Elizabeth, fearing for her son, took him and fled with him from the city to the mountains. Zechariah himself was then in the Jerusalem temple. Saint Elizabeth fervently prayed to the Lord that He would preserve her life and the life of little John. Seeing warriors in the mountains who were carefully searching for the fugitives, Elizabeth prayed to the mountain: “Mountain of God, accept mother and son,” and suddenly the mountain parted, a passage formed in it, where the holy fugitives hid. The murderers, not finding the baby John, returned to Herod with nothing. Then Herod sent a command to Zechariah in the temple so that he would give up his son. But the father said that he served the Lord here and did not know where his son was now. Herod ordered the soldiers to kill Zechariah if he refused to give up the baby. “You will kill my body, but the Lord will take my soul,” - this is how Saint Zechariah answered the murderers. The priest was stabbed to death between the altar and the altar.

Saint Elizabeth, protected by the Lord, hid all this time with her son in the parted mountain. There, a cave was miraculously built for them, a source of water gushed, and a date palm grew, which bore fruit abundantly for food. 40 days after the murder of Zechariah, righteous Elizabeth also died. So Saint John, the great prophet, found himself an orphan in infancy. But the Lord showed a special miracle over him: John lived alone in the desert, guarded and nourished by an Angel, until he matured and was sent to preach to the people of Israel.

Probably, the holy righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth dreamed of a child for many years, but their desire was never fulfilled. Being already at an advanced age and realizing that they will no longer have children, they suddenly receive unexpected, but very welcome news from God. We see that Zechariah was confused and doubtful at what he heard. But the words of the Lord are immutable: by God’s will a miracle is performed, physical laws are overcome, and pious spouses become parents... but not just parents, but the parents of a holy man, God’s prophet! “A good tree bears good fruit,” therefore such a baby could only be born into a pious and God-fearing family.

It was the life story of Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, their long infertility and the miraculous conception of a son that laid the foundation for the tradition - for a long time, Russian people asked these saints for help with infertility, entire generations of Russian women turned to them with a prayer for childbearing. Many churches or individual temple chapels are dedicated to the holy parents of John the Baptist.

Icon

There are many lists of this saint, which many people keep in their homes. The icon of the saint can be found in the Moscow Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The first image is considered original and is located on Mount Athos. On it he was painted as an old man with an open scroll in his left hand. He is wearing a priest's robe. Although it carries holiness and righteousness, at the same time it reflects peacefulness, humility and belligerence.

You can recite sacred texts both in front of her in the temple and at home. If you don't have it, don't worry. Try to be alone and just focus on what you are saying. There are also lists where he is depicted with his son. They stand at full height in front of the believers.

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It seems to many that reading the prayer to Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming on Remembrance Day has special power. They fall on February 26 and June 10. In a sense, this is true, but for the most part, what is true is your sincerity and the power of faith. Only an open heart and good thoughts can lead to a positive result. Here is the text of most of the address used.

“O holy and righteous Simeon, with your pure soul reside in the heavenly abodes in the presence of the saints, and rest incorruptible on the earth with your body!

By the grace given by you from the Lord, pray for us, mercifully look upon us, many sinners,

even unworthy, both with faith and trust in your holy and healing icon of those who flow, and ask us from God for forgiveness of our sins, we fall into misery in multitudes all the days of our life and, like before others, for from green eye diseases we can see no less than those who can heal our eyes. ,

To those who were near death from severe ailments, healing was given, and to others you bestowed many other glorious blessings;

hereby deliver us from mental and physical ailments and from all sorrow and sorrow, and ask from the Lord all that is good for our present life and for eternal salvation that is useful to us,

so that by your intercession and prayers we have acquired everything useful to us, even if we are unworthy, praising you with gratitude, let us glorify God, wondrous in His saints, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.”

Remember that before you start reading, try to abstract yourself as much as possible from what is happening around you. Do not interfere with the desire of others to turn to the saint. Humility and submission have always been welcomed by the Lord.

God bless you!

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You will also be interested in watching a video story about Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streamer:

Prayer to Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming

Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming is approached with requests for the granting of health (for example, in case of infertility), enlightenment and setting on the right path.

Chosen governor and king of the Serbian land/, ladder of the bright Orthodox faith, Reverend Simeon/, intercessor of the Serbian people and builder of holy churches/, wonderful builder of the Holy Lavra and humble teacher of monks/, accept the prayers of your Orthodox children/, keep, Our Father, from heresies save the true faith/, save our power and people from the destroyers/, protect your faithful flock from fierce wolves and protect the sacred dogmas of the church/. Accept our singing and praise, which we humbly offer to you, and do not despise the prayers of us sinners, crying out from the depths of our hearts //

Rejoice, Reverend Father Simeon, Myrrh-streaming One, great miracle worker!

Rejoice, king of the Serbian land, lover of the cross of Christ!

Rejoice, sacred Studenitsa, never-ending light!

Rejoice, champion of the holy Orthodox faith!

Rejoice, blessed temple builder and champion of church beauty!

Rejoice, you have loved the godly monastic life!

Rejoice, you have destroyed the wickedness of Bogumil!

Rejoice, abundant vine of the Serbian Church!

Rejoice, chosen vessel of the Mother of God!

Rejoice, abundant source of spiritual mercies!

Rejoice, generous dispenser of Christ’s grace!

Rejoice, wonderful teacher of monastic abstinence!

Rejoice, faithful guardian of the apostolic tradition!

Seeing the corruption and transience of the worldly glory, O Reverend Simeon, our Father, you despised the world and everything that was moving in it, you appeared as an abundant dispenser of alms, and you were the beautifier of the abodes of God, like a luminous star that shone in the Land of Serbia. You hated the royal crown and glory, Blessed Simeon/, seeking the monastic rank, you left the world/, and having built a bright monastery, you dedicated it to the Mother of God/, fulfilling a sacred vow, you took tonsure/, observing the memory of death, you chose your grave as a bed, Father God the wise //. Placing the Cross of Christ on your shoulder, you cry out to the Lord unceasingly: Alleluia!

Rejoice, God-wise Father Simeon!

Rejoice, zealot of the Orthodox faith!

Rejoice, Christ-loving ruler of your empire!

Rejoice, O mighty one who drives away the evil heresy!

Rejoice, Simeon, filled with the grace of the Spirit of God!

Rejoice, tireless worker in Christ’s field!

Rejoice, tireless ascetic of the Studenitsa Lavra!

Rejoice, you who brought the fruit of alms abundantly to the Lord!

Rejoice, you who have acquired Heavenly praise!

Rejoice, you who erected holy abodes and temples!

Rejoice, steadfast guardian of the Holy Mountains!

Rejoice, patron saint of the great Hilandar Lavra!

The power of the Most High is the autumn of you, Father Simeon/, when the flame of hunger of the eternal belly kindles in your heart/. Multiplying your exploits and labors/, you completely surrendered your soul to the One Defender, the Living and Mighty God/ and like a tree thirsting for spiritual drink, you rushed to Christ/. Elder Simeon sent a message to his dear old son, so that they may praise the Lord for all His mercies.

Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apolis fathers, Simeone and Savvo!

Rejoice, creators of the glorious Hilandar!

Rejoice, leader of the Serbian asceticism!

Rejoice, servants of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Rejoice, bearers of the yoke of Christ's faithfulness!

Rejoice, many abodes of the Serbian land adorn!

Rejoice, our faithful intercessors before God!

Rejoice, you who have loved the red desert life!

Rejoice, saints of God, who have acquired heavenly crowns!

Rejoice, orphans and poor merciful ones!

Rejoice, chief of Serbian monasticism!

Rejoice, lamps of the Serbian clergy!

After your departure, Father Simeon, to the Holy Mountain/ you raised a windy storm, disorder and fierce sorrow/ the enemy of our salvation/ in your dominion/. The spirit of black envy has taken possession of your son Vukan, and has raised up brother against brother, in which he will unrighteously snatch away the crown and power. You outraged the internecine war, Vukan, and you brought bloody turmoil.

Who can dry up your bitter tears and heavy sighs, who will not marvel at the patience and humility of your Reverend Simeon. You prayed with tears to the Holy Intercessor of Mount Athos/, that he might deliver your power and your people from all troubles and misfortunes//. In the same way, we cry out to God with hope about the Most Holy Virgin: Alleluia!

Rejoice, lamp of Serbian monasticism!

Rejoice, Heavenly Creator of Serbia!

Rejoice, spiritual warrior, conqueror of demonic passions!

We invite you to familiarize yourself with: Prayer to the Mother of God list

Rejoice, our tireless intercessor before the Lord!

Rejoice, rule of life for the monastic crusader!

Rejoice, guardian of the Orthodox faith!

Rejoice, sword that cuts down the Bogumil heresy!

Rejoice, true vessel of Christ's grace!

Rejoice, O king, you who have adorned many abodes!

Rejoice, Father, who preserved the faith in grave temptations!

Rejoice, you who have acquired the holy quietness of Christ!

Rejoice, lover of humility more than glory!

God-given Father Simeon/, you are a star, shining brightly with faith and virtues/, you are a great lamp, appearing in the abyss of the seas/, teach us even now to righteously observe the covenants of monasticism/ and help us to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit/ so that our eyes will be opened spirituality and we will see clearly the network of demonism/.

Rejoice, Father Simeon, who followed the will of the Lord!

Rejoice, you who came to Kareya together with your elder son Savva!

Rejoice, richly generous one of the holy monastery!

Rejoice, you who worshiped the Most Holy Theotokos in Iveron!

Rejoice, righteous king, mercifully heard by the Lord!

Rejoice, you who shone with your virtues on Mount Saint Athos!

Rejoice, good pilgrim, honor all the holy fathers of Athos!

Rejoice, thou who bestowed red gifts upon the Great Lavra of Athanasius!

Rejoice, blessed father, for your name is written in the Book of Life!

Rejoice, for your radiant face has been glorified forever and ever!

Rejoice, merciful intercessor of the orphaned and wretched!

Rejoice, you who protected the sheep of words from mental wolves!

The monks and forgivers of Athos of the earth/were surprised at your great lack of acquisition/as if you had strived hard through fasting and prayer/, having counted the crown of the kingdom and the power for nothing/ you have chosen meekness, humility and monastic obedience, O Reverend/. Apparently you generously rewarded the monastery of Athos with alms/, glorifying the Lord in the depths of your hearts/, as befits a monk, you loved the poverty of Christ/, as you restored many monasteries to the king/.

Rejoice, thou who glorify God with good deeds!

Rejoice, holy ray of the Eternal Sun!

Rejoice, many orphans and poor guardians!

Rejoice, guardian of God's temples and monasteries!

BROTHER OR HOMELAND?

The Monk Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming was born at the beginning of the 12th century into the family of Zhupan Zavida, the ruler of Raska - as Serbia was called in the Middle Ages. His worldly name Stefan Nemanja literally thundered in the arena of historical events in Europe at that time for many decades.

Serbia, which had lost most of its lands by the 12th century, was under the protectorate of Byzantium. Its rulers, the zhupanov, were appointed from Constantinople. Periodically, the Serbs rebelled against Byzantine oppression, but they ended in defeat.

After another unsuccessful Serb uprising, the Byzantine emperor appointed Tihomir, Stefan's older brother, to the post of zupan. Tihomir was known for his loyalty to Byzantium. Since childhood, Stefan dreamed of his homeland gaining independence. Therefore, he, having gathered an army of Serbian patriots, overthrew his brother, reigned on the throne himself and made a desperate attempt to fight with Byzantium again. True, that time it also ended in failure.

FIGHTING HERESY

“Living in the world, Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming was a politician, a ruler, sometimes cruel,” explains Archpriest Maxim Brusov, rector of the Trinity Church in Dmitrov.
“He really overthrew his brother, who died soon after.” He made decisions about bloody wars. But Simeon's great achievement was the unification of Serbia and the strengthening of Orthodoxy in it. Thanks to Nemanja's diplomatic and military successes, Serbia returned its lands seized by the invaders - Kosovo, Travuniya, Hvosno and others. Just recently, the microscopic Raska became a powerful European state.

Stephen had to shed blood in his own country. At that time, Serbia was gripped by the ideology of the Bogomil heresy. The Bogomils believed that the entire material world was the creation not of God, but of Satan. They rejected the Old Testament, the cross, relics, icons, the holiness of the Mother of God and, in general, the entire cult of saints, the construction of churches. Stefan got rid of the Bogomils literally with fire and sword and, according to contemporaries, “completely eradicated this damned, ungodly faith from the state.”

Also, Stefan, being a zealous Christian, built churches and monasteries and supported monasticism.

Venerable Stylian the Paphlagonian, patron saint of children

(Memory December 9 according to New Art)

This saint is especially revered in Greece and Cyprus, where many temples were erected in his honor. On the icon, Saint Stylian is always depicted with a child in his arms (or with several babies), which reflects a special Orthodox tradition - to honor him as the patron saint of children. This tradition did not arise by chance: even during his lifetime, women came to Saint Stylian with a request to pray for the granting of long-awaited children to them, and mothers also brought their children to the saint’s cave so that he would bless and heal them. From that time until the present day, Saint Stylian has been considered the patron saint of children; they pray to him for the safe birth and good upbringing of their children. This is even more surprising if we consider that Stylian himself left this world and, having become a monk, retired to live in a cave for the sake of spiritual exploits.

Venerable Stylian the Paphlagonian Photo: drevo-info.ru

The saint was born in Asia Minor, in Paphlagonia (that is why he is called Paphlagonian), between 400 and 500 years from the Nativity of Christ. From childhood, he strove for a holy life, kept himself pure and tried not to allow passions to reign in his soul. Having reached adulthood, he distributed his property to the poor, rejoicing that nothing was stopping him from achieving perfection: “I threw off the heavy anchor that kept me tied to the desires of my fallen body. From now on, the path to true life is open to me.”

In one of the monasteries of Asia Minor, the saint took monastic vows and over time reached many spiritual heights. He had no property, he lived in simplicity and poverty. Saint Stylian was very attentive to mental and physical purity, making a lot of efforts to ensure that sin did not touch his soul.

Desiring to grow even more in virtues, Saint Stylian said goodbye to the brethren of the monastery and retired into the deserted desert, where he spent time in prayer and glorifying God. The monk spent many years in that desert, but the Lord decided to reveal His saint to the world. Rumors about the wondrous hermit spread throughout the area, and many people flocked to Stylian’s cave. He received the suffering, consoled the sad, and instructed sinners to repentance.

It was no coincidence that the holy hermit became the patron saint of children: he deeply accepted the words of the Savior, “If you do not turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Saint Stilian tried very hard to acquire a childlike, sincere faith, and seeing his desire, the Lord gave him a special gift to patronize children. From near and far cities and villages, mothers brought their sick children to the saint’s cave and asked Stylian to pray. He took the children in his arms and with tears asked God for healing. The Lord ALWAYS answered his prayers! Also, through the prayers of the saint, barren women became mothers of many children. Even after the death of St. Stylian, women who prayed before his icon received healing from infertility.