After the Fourth Ecumenical Council [Chalcedon, 451 A.D.] the heretical Emperor Anastasius banished the Orthodox Patriarchs, Elias of Jerusalem and Flavian of Antioch, into exile.
One day simultaneously, both of the saints, discerned the death of the heretical emperor and sent each other the news about this saying: "Anastasius is dead! Let us also go to stand judgment with him before God." The emperor died and two days later both patriarchs died.
What zeal for the True Faith! What a humble hope before God's judgment. For these saints, it was not a matter of living longer on earth but the matter of God's truth. Neither did they say: "We judged him," rather "may God judge him!"
Our stay on earth is not for the sake of sojourning but for personal choice for good or for evil; for truth or for falsehood. Blessed are we if we, in everything, trust God's will and hope in God's judgment. For in all, one must have a strong faith. These Orthodox archpastors had a strong faith.
St. Acacius, Bishop of Melitene, (April 17) also had a strong faith. Once, during a great drought when the people were despairing, this wonderful Acacius led a procession of the people throughout the town and outside the town. He ordered that the Divine Liturgy be celebrated outside the town before the Church of St. Eustace. After consecrating the Holy Gifts, Acacius did not want to pour water into the wine but prayed to God that He, the Most-High, lower water into the chalice from the clouds. God heard the prayer of His faithful servant and sent abundant rain in the dry fields as well as into the honorable chalice.
- St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Prologue