Saint Basilisk - friend of Saint John Chrysostom / Orthodoxy.Ru

Saint Basilisk - friend of Saint John Chrysostom

If you remember, Saint John Chrysostom managed to annoy a huge number of courtiers, including bishops. Some holy bishops said: if John Chrysostom is a saint, then Judas is also an apostle. In general, he was hated so much that it is difficult for us to imagine.

Today he is commemorated throughout the church as one of the friends of Christ, workers in the field of the Lord.

But, in this life, “you can’t see a face face to face, the big thing is seen from a distance.” Looking at him point blank, not only were they not considered a saint, he was considered a villain, a violator of traditions, a daring innovator. And they drove him, poor man, out of Constantinople.

The council was assembled twice against him and then expelled. The earthquake that followed the first expulsion somewhat sobered up the expellers, and they realized that something was wrong since the earth was shaking. And then they kicked me out a second time. And he went and went, all the way to Abkhazia.

In Abkhazia, when he, weary from the journey, tormented by all the travel, shaking on a donkey and undergoing exile, before his death the martyr Basilisk appeared to him and said: “Soon we will be together, brother John, don’t suffer” - we will soon be together, in the sense - in Paradise.

When I read the life of Chrysostom or remember about him, I am always interested in the Basilisk. But you never know how many martyrs there are in the world! Take a calendar - and there you will find a huge number of various passion-bearers, martyrs, and martyrs who were hacked to death, buried, burned, and tortured. We take this so calmly, martyrs – and indeed martyrs. We have too many of them for us to worry too much about each one. We calmly remember them every day during the service, for example - at dismissal the priest says: “Christ, our true God, through the prayers of this, that and those who are remembered today - in particular, this, this, will have mercy and save us " We say “Amen” and go home.

And here is a certain martyr Basilisk, a man who met John Chrysostom on the way to the kingdom of heaven.

These little-noticeable martyrs: Bonifatius, Aglaida, Serapion, Spiridon, many other martyrs - they are also Christ's witnesses, close to God. They have the power to talk down to saints such as John Chrysostom. How do people who have already reached the pier talk to people who are still sailing?

He says: “Don’t be afraid, brother, we’ll be together soon, I’ll help.” When the memory of Saint Basilisk is celebrated, in Abkhazia he suffered for Christ, who met John Chrysostom on the way to the kingdom of heaven, it seems to me very important to understand that John Chrysostom is a great teacher and saint, he teaches the whole universe.

And the Basilisk comes to him like brother to brother, like an acquaintance to an acquaintance. For us he is the universal great teacher, and for Basilisk he is Brother John. This is the glory of those people who died for Jesus Christ.

When the memory of Saint Basilisk is celebrated, who met Saint John Chrysostom in the kingdom of heaven and was the first person among the saints who announced in our ears, revealed to the whole world that he was a friend of Chrysostom and his assistant, it is very important to understand that this is a very important, warm topic: communication of people in the kingdom of heaven, communication of those living on earth with those who have already reached the kingdom of heaven.

Martyr Basilisk Komansky

The holy martyr Basiliscus was the nephew of the holy martyr Theodore Tiron (February 17) and suffered with his brothers Eutropius and Cleonikos during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Maximian Galerius (305–311). The holy martyrs Kleonikos and Eutropius were crucified on crosses (their commemoration is March 3), and the martyr Basilisk was sent to Comana, where he was kept in prison. The ruler Agrippa, arriving in the city of Amasia, began to persecute Christians. Saint Basilisk in prison was preparing for the upcoming martyrdom. In a dream, the Lord appeared to him, promising the martyr His help, and predicted his martyrdom in Comana. Saint Basilisk asked the prison guards to let him go to his native village to say goodbye to his family. He was released because he was revered for the holiness of his life and the miracles he performed. Arriving home, Saint Basilisk informed his relatives that he would see them for the last time, and convinced them to stand firmly for their faith.

When Agrippa learned that Saint Basilisk had been released to his relatives, he became furious. Having cruelly punished the prison guards, he sent for the martyr a detachment of soldiers led by the cruel magistrian (ruler's assistant). Having met the returning Saint Basilisk, the magister put heavy shackles on him, put copper boots on his feet with nails driven into the soles, and sent him to Comana.

Having reached one village, on a hot afternoon, the travelers stopped in the house of the woman Troyana. The soldiers went to the house to rest and refresh themselves with food, and they tied the holy martyr Basilisk to a dry tree. Standing in heavy chains under the hot sun, the saint prayed to God. Suddenly a Voice was heard from above: “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” The earth shook and a spring gushed out of the rock. Magistrian, the soldiers and Trojan, frightened by the earthquake, ran out of the house. Amazed by the miracle that had occurred, they freed the martyr. Sick residents of the village came to the holy martyr and received healing through his prayer.

When the martyr finally appeared before Agrippa, he ordered him to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods. The martyr replied: “I offer God a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving every hour.” He was taken to the temple, where fire instantly descended from heaven on Saint Basilisk, which burned the temple and crushed the idols standing in it to dust. Then Agrippa, in helpless rage, ordered that Saint Basilisk’s head be cut off and his body thrown into the river. The death of the martyr followed in 308. Christians soon bought the holy relics of the martyr and secretly buried them at night in a plowed field. After some time, a church was built on this site in the name of the holy martyr Basilisk, into which the relics were transferred. Through the holy prayers of the martyr, healings began to take place. Before his death in Comana, the holy martyr Basilisk appeared to Saint John Chrysostom (November 13) and said: “Tomorrow we will be together.” The feat of the holy martyr Basilisk was told to the world by an eyewitness of his suffering, Saint Eusignius (August 5).

What do they ask the saint for?

The martyr Basilisk helps people many centuries after his death. Many believers turn to the Koman righteous man, asking:

heal physical and mental illnesses;
strengthen faith;
provide spiritual assistance;
give strength to overcome troubles.

Before his martyrdom, Basilisk was a warrior. Therefore, military personnel and law enforcement officers enjoy special protection from the saint.

Veneration of the martyr in Orthodoxy

After the execution of Basilisk, several righteous Christians, bribing the executioners, took the remains of the martyr, burying him secretly. After some time, one of the pious residents of Coman, Marinos, erected a temple on the site of the martyrdom of the saint, transferring there the incorruptible relics of Basilisk.

Later, several attempts were made to move the sacred remains to another place, but each time a pillar of fire rose from the grave. Saint Basilisk was against the transfer of his remains, wanting to remain in Comana.

In 2002, a chapel was built on the site of an ancient temple that had suffered destruction. Next to it there is a healing spring, the waters of which relieve people from many ailments.

Thousands of people come to the martyr’s grave every year to venerate the miracle worker. The Orthodox Church celebrates the day of remembrance of the Koman martyr on May 22 according to the Julian calendar (June 4 according to the new calendar). On this day, festive services are held to glorify the miracle worker.

Church

The church in the name of the martyr Basiliscus was built by the citizen Comana Marin. It was he who transferred the holy relics to this church. What are Komans? This place is located high in the mountains of Transcaucasia, in Abkhazia. There is a monastery there, near which the chapel of St. Basilisk is located. The history of the spiritual life of this passion-bearer is as tragic as that of most of the first Christians.

The chapel of the martyr Basilisk is always open to the wanderer. Before entering it, you need to take off your shoes and cross yourself. The chapel is clean and gracious. Here, after a long journey through the hot sun, a slight coolness envelops tired people. Knowing about human physical infirmities, the monks always leave glasses and tanks of water in the chapel.

It is also known that the righteous John Chrysostom (November 13), before his death in Comana, the martyr Basilisk appeared in a dream and said: “Tomorrow we will be together.” And in these mountains a little higher there is a place where the head of the Baptist John was preserved for more than a century.

Statue

Next, Saints Basiliscus, Eutropius and Cleonikos, with their prayers, made the statue of Artemis fall to the ground. This action was the cause of their bloody martyrdom. Tall wooden stakes were dug into the ground, to which the martyrs were tied. They began to tear their bodies with iron hooks and pour boiling tar on them. The torturers sprinkled the wounds of the sufferers with a mixture consisting of salt, mustard and vinegar.

Cleonicus and Eutropia were crucified on the morning of March 3, and the martyr Basiliscus was sent to Comana, where he was placed in prison. At that time, the ruler Agrippa arrived in the city of Amasya and began to persecute Christians. Saint Basilisk in prison was preparing for further martyrdom. The Lord appeared to him in a dream, who promised the martyr his support and predicted his painful death in Comana.

Miracle

So, who is Saint Basilisk? It is known that the martyrs Cleonikos, Basiliscus and Eutropius were born in the city of Amasya. They were presented before the ruler of the city, Asklepiodotus, for their Orthodoxy, and then severely beaten. But they had a vision of Saint Tyrone Theodore and the Lord. Therefore, they were immediately cured of all their wounds.

Many pagans were surprised by this miracle and turned to Christ, for which they were beheaded. Asclepiodotus saw that he could not force the saints to convert to paganism, so he decided to change the strategy: first he separated them, and then tried to persuade and convince them with promises and flattery to abandon the Christian faith.

His poor attempt failed. Righteous Kleonikos laughed at the ruler, but did not agree to the bribe.

Prayer book

You can pray to Saint Basilisk not only near the martyr’s grave. Church shops sell icons of the righteous. Having acquired the holy image, you can ask the Basilisk for help at home, reading prayer requests - kontakion and troparion. These sacred texts are very short and are not difficult to memorize.

Kontakion

You appeared strong and courageous in the feat of martyrdom and amazing in miracles. By openly confessing the name of Christ, you put your tormentors to shame. Therefore we honor you, Basilisk, constantly exclaiming: “Rejoice, glorious adornment of the martyrs!”

Magic spring

So, the travelers reached one village and, on a hot afternoon, stopped in the dwelling of the Troyan woman. The warriors went to the house to refresh themselves with food and rest, and tied the Basilisk to a dry tree.

The martyr stood under the scorching sun in heavy shackles and offered up holy prayers to God. Suddenly a voice was heard from above: “I am with you. Don't be afraid". The earth shook and a spring gushed out of the rock. The Trojans, the Magisters and the soldiers, frightened by the earthquake, immediately ran out of the house. They were amazed by the miracle that happened and instantly freed the Basilisk, to whom the villagers began to come and receive healing with the help of his holy prayers.

Data

Who are the saints of the One Church? These are the people who were canonized (that is, glorified) by the Christian Unity Church before the Great Schism (1054). They are revered in both Catholic and Orthodox churches.

So, you already know that all the actions described in the article took place in the 3rd-4th century. The basilisk was born in the city of Amasya, in Cappadocia. He reposed in 308, in Comana.

The basilisk is venerated as a martyr in both Catholic and Orthodox churches. Basilisk Memorial Day:

March 3, May 22 – for Catholics;
March 3 (16), May 22 (June 4) - for the Orthodox.