This article was written on the occasion
of the feast of the holy Virgin Martyr Markella of Chios (the
'Chiopolitis' - a native of Chios), whose memory is
commemorated on July 22nd.
Saint Markella
was murdered with unprecedented ferocity by her own father, who
was obsessed with sexual lust for her! The girl resisted his
wishes to the death – literally - but he finally chased her to
the shore and slaughtered her when she became trapped among the
rocks! The people of Chios confirm that every year, on the day
of her memory, the waters at the site of her slaughter turn red
by themselves, as if they too want to honour the pure, virgin
blood that was so unjustly and tragically spilled there.
The saint is characterized as
'Virgin-Martyr', because 'virgin' in the ancient Greek language
(parthenos) does not only mean a person who is sexually
untouched and pure; it is also used when referring to a girl (a
young woman, mainly a teenager - unmarried of course). A
Christian girl who has not been married is taken for granted to
be physically (sexually) unmolested, which is why the Greek terms for 'daughter'
and 'virgin' have become synonymous. This is why young and
unmarried women who had martyred for their faith in Christ and His
teaching are called 'Virgin Martyrs'.Examples of Virgin Martyrs are Saint Marina, Saint
Kyriake, Saint Paraskeve, Saint Christina, Saint Barbara, Saint
Ekaterina, e.a.. The first four mentioned here arecommemorated
in July.
The feast-day of St. Markella
marks the commemoration of her exceptionally brutal martyrdom
(by an abhorrent example of a father
who had lost his senses
with carnal lust for his daughter to such a degree that he
finally hunted her down and slaughtered her
far more viciously than the slaughteringof a lamb);
a martyrdom that conveys
through the centuries a profoundly shocking message
regarding child abuse. The element
underlying her story that has left a deep impression in people
more than any other is precisely the shocking manner of her
death and the natural perpetrator of her murder.
Location marking where the martyr was slaughtered and the water turns blood-red annually on her feast-day.
Shrine on the
coast - facing the
martyr's place of
martyrdom
The Monastery of Saint Markella on Chios
Island, Greece
The same is true for the feast day of the
Holy Great
Martyr Barbara (December 4th), where the
predominant element of her life that has impressed people is the fact that her own father
betrayed her to the Romans as a Christian, allowing her to be subjected to gruesome torture and finally,upon his personal insistence,
to be decapitated
by his own hand
(only to be struck and killed
by a bolt of lightning a few days later). This detail is the reason Saint Barbara has been established
in Greece as the
patron saint of the Military Division of Heavy Artillery.
Saint Barbara being decapitated by her father
Two other (but less well-known) saints who were murdered by their
father are the Great Martyr Christina, horrifically
tortured for being a Christian (commemorated July 24th)
Saint Christina
and Saint Philothea of Arges, Romania, (commemorated
December 7th). Orphaned on the mother’s side and with
an abusive stepmother, the saint was mortally wounded by her
father (possibly not intending to kill her) because she
was giving away to the poor most of the food her stepmother
would give her to take to her father working in the fields. She
was only 12 years old!
Saint Philothea of Arges, Romania
We might also mention two married Christianwomen who were victims of domestic violence
and are also honoured by the Church as martyrs: they are the
Saints both named Thomais: Saint Thomais of Lesvos Islqnd, Greece
(commemorated January 3rd) who was beaten to death by
her husband, and Saint Thomais of Alexandria,
Egypt (commemorated April 14th), who was murdered
by her father-in-law for resisting his sexual desires!
Saint Thomais of Lesvos
Island GreeceSaint Thomais of Alexandria Egypt
The conclusion
one reaches
from all the above
instances is that domestic violence and child abuse was brought
to light by Christians and openly denounced
through the Christian Synaxarions (Books of Saints’ biographies)
mentioning
womenvictims of
such violence who are
commemorated annually by the
Church as saints and martyrs.
It must be emphasized that a person
is deified (recognized by
the Church as a saint), through
evidence of their
unyielding faith and
love for Christ. They have alsobeen recognized as
saints for steadfastly defending
their moral Christian principles to their
dying breath - and not
merely because they happened to have fallen
victims to a certain kind of criminal behaviour. The same
applies to all the martyrs who had preferred torture and death
rather than betray their faith and their moral principles. Most
of them would have attained sainthood anyway, for having lived
holy lives; although a holy life
was also
understood as an occasion
for them to be tested unto death,even sacrificing their very lives
and - according to Orthodox Christianity – anticipating they have earnedEternity.
Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia & Malawi The Holy Great Martyr Barbara lived and suffered during the reign of
the emperor Maximian (305-311). Her father, the pagan Dioscorus, was a
rich and illustrious man in the Syrian city of Heliopolis. After the
death of his wife, he devoted himself to his only daughter.
Seeing Barbara’s extraordinary beauty, Dioscorus decided to hide her
from the eyes of strangers. Therefore, he built a tower for Barbara,
where only her pagan teachers were allowed to see her. From the tower
there was a view of hills stretching into the distance. By day, she was
able to gaze upon the wooded hills, the swiftly flowing rivers, and the
meadows covered with a mottled blanket of flowers; by night the
harmonious and majestic vault of the heavens twinkled and provided a
spectacle of inexpressible beauty. Soon the virgin began to ask herself
questions about the First Cause and Creator of so harmonious and
splendid a world. Gradually, she became convinced that the
soulless idols were merely the work of human hands. Although her father
and teachers offered them worship, she realized that the idols could not
have made the surrounding world. The desire to know the true God so
consumed her soul that Barbara decided to devote all her life to this
goal, and to spend her life in virginity.
The fame of her beauty
spread throughout the city, and many sought her hand in marriage. But
despite the entreaties of her father, she refused all of them. Barbara
warned her father that his persistence might end tragically and separate
them forever. Dioscorus decided that the temperament of his daughter
had been affected by her life of seclusion. He therefore permitted her
to leave the tower and gave her full freedom in her choice of friends
and acquaintances. Thus Barbara met young Christian maidens in the city,
and they taught her about the Creator of the world, about the Trinity,
and about the Divine Logos. Through the Providence of God, a priest
arrived in Heliopolis from Alexandria disguised as a merchant. After
instructing her in the mysteries of the Christian Faith, he baptized
Barbara, then returned to his own country. During this time, a
luxurious bathhouse was being built at the house of Dioscorus. By his
orders, the workers prepared to put two windows on the south side. But
Barbara, taking advantage of her father’s absence, asked them to make a
third window, thereby forming a Trinity of light. On one of the walls of
the bath-house Barbara traced a cross with her finger. The cross was
deeply etched into the marble, as if by an iron instrument. Later, her
footprints were imprinted on the stone steps of the bathhouse. The water
of the bathhouse had great healing power. St. Simeon Metaphrastes
(November 9) compared the bathhouse to the stream of Jordan and the Pool
of Siloam, because by God’s power, many miracles took place there.
When Dioscorus returned and expressed dissatisfaction about the change
in his building plans, his daughter told him about how she had come to
know the Triune God, about the saving power of the Son of God, and about
the futility of worshipping idols. Dioscorus went into a rage, grabbed a
sword and was on the point of striking her with it. The holy virgin
fled from her father, and he rushed after her in pursuit. His way became
blocked by a hill, which opened up and concealed the saint in a
crevice. On the other side of the crevice was an entrance leading
upwards. St Barbara managed then to conceal herself in a cave on the
opposite slope of the hill. After a long and fruitless search for
his daughter, Dioscorus saw two shepherds on the hill. One of them
showed him the cave where the saint had hidden. Dioscorus beat his
daughter terribly, and then placed her under guard and tried to wear her
down with hunger. Finally he handed her over to the prefect of the
city, named Martianus. They beat St. Barbara fiercely: they struck her
with rawhide, and rubbed her wounds with a hair cloth to increase her
pain. By night, St. Barbara prayed fervently to her Heavenly Bridegroom,
and the Savior Himself appeared and healed her wounds. Then they
subjected the saint to new, and even more frightful torments. In
the crowd where the martyr was tortured was the virtuous Christian woman
Juliana, an inhabitant of Heliopolis. Her heart was filled with
sympathy for the voluntary martyrdom of the beautiful and illustrious
maiden. Juliana also wanted to suffer for Christ. She began to denounce
the torturers in a loud voice, and they seized her.
Both martyrs
were tortured for a long time. Their bodies were raked and wounded with
hooks, and then they were led naked through the city amidst derision and
jeers. Through the prayers of St. Barbara, the Lord sent an angel who
covered the nakedness of the holy martyrs with a splendid robe. Then the
steadfast confessors of Christ, Ss. Barbara and Juliana, were beheaded.
Dioscorus himself executed St. Barbara. The wrath of God was not slow
to punish both torturers, Martianus and Dioscorus. They were killed
after being struck by lightning. In the sixth century the relics
of the holy Great Martyr Barbara were transferred to Constantinople. Six
hundred years later, they were transferred to Kiev (July 11) by
Barbara, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenos, who
married the Russian prince Michael Izyaslavich. They rest even now at
Kiev’s St Vladimir cathedral, where an Akathist to the saint is served
each Tuesday. Many pious Orthodox Christians are in the habit of
chanting the troparion of St. Barbara each day, recalling the Savior’s
promise to her that those who remembered her and her sufferings would be
preserved from a sudden, unexpected death, and would not depart this
life without benefit of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. St. Barbara is
commemorated on December 4.
Saint John of Damascus was born about the year 680 at Damascus, Syria
into a Christian family. His father, Sergius Mansur, was a treasurer at
the court of the Caliph. John had also a foster brother, the orphaned
child Cosmas (October 14), whom Sergius had taken into his own home.
When the children were growing up, Sergius saw that they received a good
education. At the Damascus slave market he ransomed the learned monk
Cosmas of Calabria from captivity and entrusted to him the teaching of
his children. The boys displayed uncommon ability and readily mastered
their courses of the secular and spiritual sciences. After the death of
his father, John occupied ministerial posts at court and became the city
prefect. In Constantinople at that time, the heresy of
Iconoclasm had arisen and quickly spread, supported by the emperor Leo
III the Isaurian (717-741). Rising up in defense of the Orthodox
veneration of icons [Iconodoulia], Saint John wrote three treatises
entitled, “Against Those who Revile the Holy Icons.” The wise and
God-inspired writings of Saint John enraged the emperor. But since the
author was not a Byzantine subject, the emperor was unable to lock him
up in prison, or to execute him. The emperor then resorted to slander. A
forged letter to the emperor was produced, supposedly from John, in
which the Damascus official was supposed to have offered his help to Leo
in conquering the Syrian capital. This letter and another
hypocritically flattering note were sent to the Saracen Caliph by Leo
the Isaurian. The Caliph immediately ordered that Saint John be removed
from his post, that his right hand be cut off, and that he be led
through the city in chains. That same evening, they returned the
severed hand to Saint John. The saint pressed it to his wrist and prayed
to the Most Holy Theotokos to heal him so that he could defend the
Orthodox Faith and write once again in praise of the Most Pure Virgin
and Her Son. After a time, he fell asleep before the icon of the Mother
of God. He heard Her voice telling him that he had been healed, and
commanding him to toil unceasingly with his restored hand. Upon
awakening, he found that his hand had been attached to his arm once
more. Only a small red mark around his wrist remained as a sign of the
miracle.
Later, in thanksgiving for being healed, Saint John had a
silver model of his hand attached to the icon, which became known as “Of the Three Hands.” Some unlearned painters have given the Mother of
God three hands instead of depicting the silver model of Saint John’s
hand. The Icon “Of the Three Hands” is commemorated on June 28 and July
12.
When he learned of the miracle, which demonstrated John’s
innocence, the Caliph asked his forgiveness and wanted to restore him to
his former office, but the saint refused. He gave away his riches to
the poor, and went to Jerusalem with his stepbrother and fellow-student,
Cosmas. There he entered the monastery of Saint Sava the Sanctified as a
simple novice. It was not easy for him to find a spiritual
guide, because all the monks were daunted by his great learning and by
his former rank. Only one very experienced Elder, who had the skill to
foster the spirit of obedience and humility in a student, would consent
to do this. The Elder forbade John to do anything at all according to
his own will. He also instructed him to offer to God all his labors and
supplications as a perfect sacrifice, and to shed tears which would wash
away the sins of his former life. Once, he sent the novice to
Damascus to sell baskets made at the monastery, and commanded him to
sell them at a certain inflated price, far above their actual value. He
undertook the long journey under the searing sun, dressed in rags. No
one in the city recognized the former official of Damascus, for his
appearance had been changed by prolonged fasting and ascetic labors.
However, Saint John was recognized by his former house steward, who
bought all the baskets at the asking price, showing compassion on him
for his apparent poverty. One of the monks happened to die, and
his brother begged Saint John to compose something consoling for the
burial service. Saint John refused for a long time, but out of pity he
yielded to the petition of the grief-stricken monk, and wrote his
renowned funeral troparia (“What earthly delight,” “All human vanity,”
and others). For this disobedience the Elder banished him from his cell.
John fell at his feet and asked to be forgiven, but the Elder remained
unyielding. All the monks began to plead for him to allow John to
return, but he refused. Then one of the monks asked the Elder to impose a
penance on John, and to forgive him if he fulfilled it. The Elder said,
“If John wishes to be forgiven, let him wash out all the chamber pots
in the lavra, and clean the monastery latrines with his bare hands.”
John
rejoiced and eagerly ran to accomplish his shameful task. After a
certain while, the Elder was commanded in a vision by the All-Pure and
Most Holy Theotokos to allow Saint John to write again. When the
Patriarch of Jerusalem heard of Saint John, he ordained him priest and
made him a preacher at his cathedral. But Saint John soon returned to
the Lavra of Saint Sava, where he spent the rest of his life writing
spiritual books and church hymns. He left the monastery only to denounce
the iconoclasts at the Constantinople Council of 754. They subjected
him to imprisonment and torture, but he endured everything, and through
the mercy of God he remained alive. He died in about the year 780, more
than 100 years old. Saint John of Damascus was a theologian and a
zealous defender of Orthodoxy. His most important book is the Fount of
Knowledge. The third section of this work, “On the Orthodox Faith,” is a
summary of Orthodox doctrine and a refutation of heresy. Since he was
known as a hymnographer, we pray to Saint John for help in the study of
church singing.
St Hieromartyr Seraphim, bishop of Phanarion, Greece
Seraphim was born to Sophronios and Maria in the village of Mpizoula
in the Agrapha region of Greece during the mid sixteenth century. His
family was pious and reared him in the Orthodox faith. After he came of
age, he entered the monastic life at the Monastery of the Theotokos in Korona, receiving the name Seraphim. As he grew in spiritually, he also entered the holy orders being ordained a presbyter. Upon the death of his abbot, he was elected to succeed him as head of the monastery.
In 1587, Fr. Seraphim was elected archbishop
of Phanarion and Neochorion, the see thaving become vacant when its
incumbent died. As archbishop, Seraphim was a true shepherd to all the
Orthodox Christians entrusted to his care, nurturing and caring for them
in every possible way.
In 1601, the metropolitan
of Larissa named Dionysius the Philosopher mistakenly thought he could
expel the Muslim forces in the Ioannina area. After raising an army of
ill-equipped and ill-trained villagers, they attacked and killed many
Muslims in the area. The rebellion was savagely suppressed when Muslim
reinforcements arrived killing those involved in the rebellion and
taking revenge on many innocent Christian villagers as well. After a
second rebellion Metr. Dionysios himself was captured, tortured, and
horribly executed.
In this turbulent atmosphere, Abp. Seraphim was compelled by duty
to go to Phanarion to pay the taxes owed to the Ottoman government.
Some Muslims, who knew of his good work among the Orthodox Christians
and wished him harm, observed him in Phanarion. They began to agitate
among themselves, saying Seraphim had been with Dionysios and was a
rebel, a subversive, and a traitor. They accosted and threatened him
unless he abandoned his faith and become a Muslim.
Abp. Seraphim responded that they knew he was innocent of the
accusation and that he would not leave his faith to escape death and
thus leave Jesus, his God and Creator, especially now when he suffered
unjustly, and that he hoped because of this to receive from his Master
more honor. Then, of their honors, he did not even want to hear of them.
The Muslims then took Seraphim, dragged him before the vali,
whose name was Hamuza Bey, and accursed him as being with Dionysios and
thus was an enemy and a traitor. Hamuza Bey repeated the offer that Abp.
Seraphim become a Muslim. To which Seraphim reiterated that he was
innocent and would not be separated from his Master and God Jesus Christ
and that he was ready for anything the Bey had within his power.
Hearing this, the Bey ordered Seraphim beaten mercilessly.
Seraphim endured everything as though suffering no pain, thanking and
blessing God. He was then put into prison where he was given no food or
drink in an attempt to break him.
After Abp. Seraphim was again confronted by the Bey, with
Seraphim continuing his firm stand against him, Hamuza Bey ordered Abp.
Seraphim tortured and then impaled
After his death, Seraphim’s body remained upon the stake longer
than usual to serve as an example to the Orthodox Christians in the
area, and to frighten them into submission. But Abp. Seraphim’s martyrdom
had the opposite effect. It gave Orthodox Christians courage and hope,
for they thanked God for strengthening the archbishop to make such a
good confession of faith.
Later, Seraphim’s head was cut off and sent to Phanarion together with the heads of other clergymen who were also executed as a result of the activities of Metr. Dionysius.
The Orthodox Christians of Phanarion felt the need to recover the
archbishop’s head. They, therefore, found an Albanian Orthodox
Christian to whom they promised a reward if he were to recover the head.
The Albanian was successful, but before he could escape entirely, he
was detected and was pursued by the Muslims. Afraid of being caught at
one point, the Albanian threw the head in the Peneios River. Seeing
this, the Muslims gave up the pursuit. Days later the head was recovered
by fishermen who took it to the Dousikon Monastery. Later, the head was
brought to the Monastery of the Theotokos in Korona, Seraphim’s own
monastic house.
Abp. Seraphim of Phanarion and Neochorion gave his life in the
town of Phanarion for the love of Jesus Christ, on December 4, in the
year 1601.
Today I'd like to introduce you to an inspiring new graphic novel for kids - The Cross and the Stag;the Incredible Adventures of Saint Eustathius, by Gabriel Wilson. It is Ancient Faith Publishing's
inaugural book into the graphic novel format, the first in their new
"Among the Saints" series written to inspire both children and adults. I am so excited about this book! Gabriel
Wilson's illustrations are striking, and graphic novels are a great way
to introduce kids to stories of the saints!
For those unfamiliar with graphic
novels, they are like comics, but the format is longer and the
self-contained story has a definite beginning, middle, and end. Wondering if graphic novels are a good fit for your child? Click on the link to explore this article from scholastic: A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens. Now, on to The Cross and the Stag...
This is one incredible adventure story,
about a very godly man and his brave family. Not all saint stories
would work well as graphic novels, but this one was practically begging
to for it! (As are many others - I can't wait to see what more will come
from Ancient Faith Publishing). In art school, author/artist Gabriel
Wilson became very interested in graphic design, animation, and comics
and was inspired to switch out super heroes for saints in his
comic-format stories! Drama, action, love, adventure, death, and hope -
they are all in this heroic tale.
Book description from AFP: He lost his wealth. He lost his family. He lost his station. He endured it all, to gain everything. Roman Commander Placidas was a man of
great power and influence. He and his family wanted for little, yet he
knew there had to be more to life. Once baptized into the Christian
faith as Eustathius, he faced trials beyond anything he had ever
experienced on the battlefield. His faith was challenged, but that same
faith gained him eternal life. Meet this great man in Ancient Faith
Publishing's first graphic novel.
Age Range: 7 years and up
Author/Illustrator: Gabriel Wilson
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches
Page Length: 56 pages
Publisher: Ancient Faith Publishing
Listen to Bobby Maddex interview the author here, on Ancient Faith's podcast Ex Libris. And then order this book, available here.
The Broken Wheel: A Graphic Novel for a November Saint
Ancient Faith Publishing as just released Gabriel Wilson's latest graphic novel, THE BROKEN WHEEL, the Triumph of St. Katherine.
Gabriel
has done an excellent job of adapting the story of the Great and Holy
Martyr Katherine (305-313) into a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel
for ages 10 and up.
What a role model we find in this saint,
especially for girls! This young heroine loves learning. A governor's
daughter, she is intelligent, brave, and beautiful, but also very
confident. She tells her parents that she will enter into marriage only
with someone who has surpassed her in nobility, wealth, beauty, and
wisdom.
With the help of her secretly Christian mother, an elder monk,
and a miraculous dream, Katherine does find this Bridegroom, as she
ultimately chooses a Prince (of Peace) and puts her trust and hope in
Him.
Later,
Katherine's city is visited by the emperor Maximian. He comes to
Alexandria for a pagan festival and Katherine is horrified that
Christians are being burned alive and sacrificed because of their
refusal to deny Christ. She is compelled to speak with the emperor and
tell him about the True God, asking him to stop the human sacrifices.
Katherine
is cast into the dungeon and is visited by St. Michael the Archangel.
After the emperor sends 50 of his most renowned philosophers to debate
Katherine, they not only believe in Christ, but bravely face death for
their belief.
Now comes the part of the story that really sounds
like it was made for a graphic novel: The Wheel. Katherine, our brave
heroine, will not deny Christ and voluntarily walks up to her declared
method of cruel torture. Suddenly, St. Michael appears and blows the
dreaded wheel to smithereens!
Witnessing Katherine's bravery and
faith, Maximian's wife also comes to believe, along with the emperor's
military commander and 200 soldiers, who are beheaded.
And
that's not all...though St. Katherine herself is ultimately is
beheaded, angels miraculously transport her body to Mt. Sinai, where it
was discovered years later. To this day, her relics are still on Mt.
Sinai, at St. Katherine's Monastery.
At the end of the book is a historical note, along with several icons and the Troparion and Kontakion to St. Katherine.
From Ancient Faith Publishing:
Young
Katherine, born into noble wealth with an insatiable hunger for
knowledge, surpasses even her tutors when it comes to learning. But her
learning counts for nothing when she meets the only man worthy of her -
her heavenly Bridegroom. Trading worldly knowledge for eternal wisdom,
Katherine challenges even the emperor himself - and he prepares a cruel
invention to break her. Meet this great bride of Christ in the second
graphic novel in the Among the Saints series - written to inspire both
children and adults.
About the Author: Gabriel Wilson lives near his childhood home in
rural Indiana with his wife Emily and their three daughters. Their home
is over 100 years old - a true fixer-upper - and the subject of many of
his woodworking projects. In his free time, he pursues carpentry and
music and enjoys making homemade tacos with his wife and sketching with
his daughters. Graphic novels are his favorite form of artwork, and
aside from his comics based on the lives of saints, he has other secular
novels in the works. His first graphic novel was The Cross and the
Stag. (read my review, here)
Blessed
first day of Advent (if you're an Orthodox Christian). St.
Katherine/Catherine is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on November
24 or 25, depending on the tradition. The Broken Wheel
is a nice sized soft cover book, 7 x 10 inches, with 104 pages. It
would make a wonderful gift for any Katherine/Catherine in your life.
A comment from here:
"This book is
an Orthodox graphic novel. Yes, you read that right.... a graphic novel
for Orthodox youth and it is BEAUTIFUL. The artwork leaps off the page
with vibrant colors, expressive characters, and page-turning drama. I
found myself engrossed in Katherine's story, as I watched her come to
know the faith at age thirteen and then valiantly defend that faith at
the age of 16.
This novel covers so many important moments of the life
of St. Katherine in a way that is appealing and enthralling for young
readers. Her martyrdom is beautifully handled in the novel as a moment
of triumphant and peaceful resolve with the Archangel Michael by
Katherine's side. As much as I loved reading this book as an adult, this
book would have been so meaningful for me as an Orthodox teen,
especially a female Orthodox teen. St. Katherine exemplifies all the
qualities we strive to achieve with her unshakeable faith, unyielding
strength, and ever-flowing grace. Her young age and the artistry of the
author, Gabriel Wilson, in bringing her story to life in a relatable
format for Orthodox youth is strikingly effective. This is a "must-have"
for every Orthodox teen! (I'll have to order a second copy to gift
because I love it so much I am keeping my first copy!)".
Gleanings from a Book: “The Cross and the Stag” by Gabriel Wilson
Author’s note: Because I happened to
be in the right place at the right time, I was privileged to see a few
spreads of this book more than a year before its publication. Although
they were but sketches when I saw them, I was struck by their quality
and the images gripped me. And my first reading of the (now full-color)
book has confirmed what I suspected even then: this book is a treasure.
“The Cross and the Stag” by Gabriel Wilson
tells the true story of Placidas the soldier, who, amidst his worldly
successes and earthly means, was lovingly faithful to his wife and sons,
while also being very generous to those in need outside of his home.
Perhaps you have never heard of Placidas the Soldier? He was given the
name Eustathius at baptism. If you are not familiar with St. Eustathius,
either, his story is one that you will do well to learn. There is much
that each of us can learn from this saint: through his responses to both
misfortunes and pleasant experiences, and through his faithfulness to
God. Eustathius already had a good life when he first met Christ, and he
served Our Lord fervently after his conversion.
Just like many saints who had gone on
before him, Eustathius’ life did not continue to be “good” – well, at
least by worldly standards. However, also like those saints, he remained
faithful to Christ for his entire life. Like St. Paul, Eustathius had a
powerful visitation from Christ which became a conversion experience
for him and his household (although his wife had been mysteriously
forewarned in a dream, so she was ready!). Like Righteous Job the
Longsuffering, bit by bit Eustathius’ status, wealth, and finally even
his family were taken from him. Like Righteous Joseph the Patriarch, his
faithfulness in his work eventually brought Eustathius honor (and
miraculously his loved ones were restored to him once again, as well).
And finally, like the Three Holy Youths, the family faced a fiery
entrapment with faith and grace.
Throughout the book, Gabriel Wilson has
thoughtfully paired his images and text in a way which seamlessly tells
the story while also allowing the reader to read between the lines when
necessary. The illustrations are masterfully created, simultaneously
communicating actions and emotions in a way that is both tasteful and
effective. What a gift it is to have an artist of this caliber offer his
work to the Orthodox Christian world in a way that makes a saint’s
story so appealingly accessible to people of all ages!
Following St. Eustathius’ story in the
book, readers will find the troparion and kontakion for St. Eustathius.
There is also a spread featuring a variety of icons of him which have
been written. The book concludes with a few historical notes from the
author.
St. Eustathius’ story is gripping! I sat
down to just begin the book but ended up reading the whole thing in one
great gulp. Mystery, suspense, loss, love: all are found on the pages of
this beautiful work of art. I know that I’ll read it again, and I
suspect that I will not be the only one. There’s something here for
everyone. St. Eustathius’ story and the lessons that his life teaches us
will be treasured by each individual who reads this book.
Here are a few gleanings from the book
(this time, we are sharing the quotes in the context of their images),
as well as additional information about St. Eustathius:;
There’s even more of the story of St. Eustathius (including backstory of
his family’s experiences) in this detailed description of his life: https://pravoslavie.ru/74099.html
In the historical notes at the end of “The Cross and the Stag,” we
read that “St. Eustathius is the patron saint of hunters, firefighters,
and those who face adversity.” Author Gabriel Wilson also notes that
people request St. Eustathius’ prayers when they’re traveling over
rivers and seas. Readers facing adverse times (or traveling, hunting, or
firefighting) may be glad to learn this, and ask for his prayers.
"The St Theodore the Tyro Orthodox Mission Church is the second Afrikaans-speaking parish in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria (the first one was in Eldorado Park, in Johannesburg). On the lawn in front to the church is a statue of a stag with a cross between its antlers. It represente the vision of St Eustathius, who once when out hunting, saw a vision of such a stag. The statue was created by a Zimbabwean artist" (from our post about theNew Afrikaans Orthodox parish in South Africa).
*****
Theophano: A Byzantine Tale, the MUST read comic with the most beautiful illustrations
Images Credit: Chrysavgi Sakellaropoulou and Spyros Theocharis
A beautifully illustrated story by Chrysavgi Sakellaropoulou and
Spyros Theocharis has brought the East Roman Empire, or more commonly
known as the Byzantine Empire, to life with vivid imagery that captures
the imagination.
Theophano: A Byzantine Tale, is the story of a common girl who managed to become one of the most powerful women of 10th century medieval Europe.
Greek City Times spoke with both Sakellaropoulou, who prefers the
name Chrysa Sakel, and Theocharis, the two who brought this amazing
story to life.
Although Chrsa Sakel studied Chemistry, she told Greek City Times
that “my passion has always been art. I have been taking painting
lessons since childhood and I have created many classical artworks. Some
years ago, I began experimenting with digital art. This is how I got
involved in the project about Theophano.”
As for Theocharis, he said that he has always been a big fan of
historical fan fiction and a comic book fan, but studied English and
literature at university.
“For both of us, Theophano is a debut effort on the graphic novel scene,” they said.
Theocharis told Greek City Times that writing the comic book was not
so difficult, but the most challenging part was all the hours of
historical research “behind every page.” This has ensured that the story
is as authentic as can be to 10th century medieval East Rome.
For Chrysa, her greatest challenge was the “transition from classical
arts to digital art and comic book art” as it took a while for her to
develop her own style. “But, having the basic skills from the many years
of drawing in traditional medium, it only required a little research
and experimentation to manage to finish a project like that.”
The two said they always enjoyed watching medieval themed movies and
series like Game of Thrones, Vikings and The Lord of the Rings, but
Theocharis “always wondered why the Byzantine East never features in
fictional shows.”
“Byzantine history is full of stories which could easily become a series
or movies. So, having read a lot of books about Byzantium, I was
determined to create a story for a genre which could visually depict the
Byzantine world. Details such as the clothes, the architecture, the
lavish style of the Byzantine court can now be actually seen in the
pages of our graphic novel as we depict them according to our history
research. One example is the famous Cathedral of Hagia Sophia. Many
people would think that its interior resembled that of a typical
Orthodox church’s. From our research we found out that there were major
differences according to the descriptions in the primary sources,” he
explained.
Chrysa also added in her thoughts, saying that “series like Game of
Thrones gave us the motivation to start thinking about our own medieval
story, since some parts in the series reminded us a lot of what happened
in Byzantine history. We watched kings being poisoned, rebel generals
raising the banners to claim the throne, noble families allying and
betraying each other, eunuchs plotting according to their own interests
and ambitious women using unconventional means to climb the ladder of
power. Spyros already knew these things, but for me it was something
unexpected to read about the story of Theophano and the period she lived
in, and find out that it has so many exciting elements that are
movie-worthy.”
When asked whether Theophano was loosely based on a true story,
Theocharis said “the story is mostly based on historical facts with some
fictional additions to serve the cohesion of the narration.”
“Theophano, the protagonist of the story was a real historical
personality who may not feature as one of the highlighted personalities
of the Byzantine era, but her actions affected the course of Byzantine
history. In the primary sources, I found a lot of contradictory accounts
about her deeds and about her family background. This was actually
beneficial for me since I had the flexibility to alter the story without
the need to stray from the historical facts,” he told Greek City Times,
adding that “within the plot, the reader will stumble upon more
recognizable historical characters such as Nikephoros Phokas or John
Tzimiskes. There is also a character beyond the Byzantine world who
features in the second chapter and is known in countries like Ukraine
and Russia. I am speaking of Olga of Kiev, the famous saint. There has
been hours of historical research involved, combined with some parts
where I took the initiative to improvise a little bit so as to create a
narrative that could balance an interesting story combined with actual
historical events.”
Theocharis also explained that they chose this particularly time
period because it’s the point where the Byzantine Empire reaches its
medieval peak in terms of wealth, territorial expansion and culture.
“Many Byzantine artifacts which are hosted around museums all over
the world, were made during the 10th century. Many ancient Greek
manuscripts were saved from oblivion during that time. We must remember
that there was no printing press during that time and books were rare.
They had to be copied constantly in order to survive the test of time.,”
he said.
He also gave a vivid recount on just how rich and powerful the East Roman Empire was during this period.
“The Imperial palace was adorned with golden mosaics, there were at
least two throne rooms and the emperors did not have only one crown, but
many crowns which they used according to each ceremonial occasion. All
these indicate the splendor and the extravagance of an empire which
collectively has become known for its decline and backwardness. We
wanted to change that view and show how advanced the Byzantine world was
in the 10th century,” he added.
Chrysa also revealed to Greek City Times that they have plans to produce more graphic novels set in the Byzantine world.
“Right now we focus on Theophano and if this project is successful
then we are planning to produce a sequel. My dream is to someday have
enough time and produce a comic book script about the Alexiad. It’s a
catchy story which involves the crusaders and it is more familiar to a
western audience. I hope that the readers embrace this effort so that we
can have the means to continue with future project,” she said.
With such beautiful illustrations and untold hours of research, why would you not want to read Theophano?
Available now through Amazon (hardcover & digital format)
A fairytale marriage that goes terribly wrong, a ruling dynasty
struggling to keep everything together by having overly ambitious
eunuchs do the dirty work, and prominent Roman generals who dream of
taking the throne for themselves.
This explosive mixture of occurrences takes place in the 10th century
Medieval Roman Empire (aka The Byzantine Empire). An era of territorial
resurgence and massive Imperial extravagance, but also an era of
dynastic intrigues and endless plotting for the ultimate prize. The
Byzantine throne.
During that time, Anastasia, a common girl, marries the heir to the
throne, enters the palace and becomes Theophano an ambitious woman ready
to climb the ladder of power and sacrifice herself for her children.
Based on real historical events, this epic graphic novel offers an
immersion into a forgotten world. The world of the medieval Romans who
survived up until the Middle Ages with their capital, Constantinople
“the Queen of all cities” serving as a second Rome.
About the author:Spyros Theocharis was born in
Athens, Greece. He is a Graduate of the English language and literature
department of the university of Athens. He has been a Efl teacher for 10
years. He has lived in different countries experiencing life in both
urban and rural settings. Since childhood, he developed an interest in
mythology and history. It all began when he was six years old and came
across a book about the Ancient Greek gods. Tolkien’s books are his
“holy scriptures” and Byzantine history is his passion.
Chrysa
Sakel started taking classes on traditional painting when she was five years
old and has never stopped creating art ever since. After years of
working with traditional media, she began experimenting with digital
art. Her first project as a comic illustrator is the graphic novel
“Theophano: a Byzantine tale”. She plans to carry out many future
projects as a digital artist. (from here)
