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| St. Dios the Wonderworker (Feast Day - July 19) |
Verses
You tasted death also, all-blessed Dios,
Glorious of name, but more so in your works.
On the nineteenth the renowned Dios died.
Venerable Dios was born in the city of Antioch in Syria towards the end of the fourth century into a pious Christian family. From the years of his youth he was noted for his temperance, he took food in small quantity and not each day, and his flesh was humbled by vigil and incessant prayer. For these deeds the Lord granted Dios dispassion and the gift of wonderworking.
The Lord in a vision ordered Dios to go to Constantinople and there to serve both Him and the people. Dios settled beyond the city in a solitary place, where people feared to live. Venerable Dios bravely contended with the evil spirits which tried to expel him from this place. The Lord heard the prayer of His Saint: his staff took root, began to grow and with time was transformed into an immense oak, which stood for a long time even after the death of the Saint.
The surrounding inhabitants began to come to the Saint for advice and guidance, and they besought healing from ills of body and soul. Saint Dios by prayer healed the infirm, and whatever was offered him he distributed to the poor, the homeless and the sick.
Accounts about Dios reached even the emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450). He came to the Saint for a blessing together with Patriarch Atticus of Constantinople (406‑425). The emperor wanted a monastery built where the Saint lived in asceticism, and he provided the means for its construction. The patriarch ordained the Dios into the priestly dignity and made him the abbot. Soon numerous monastic brethren gathered to Saint Dios.
The monastery was in need of a well. They dug at it for a long time without success. Through the prayer of Dios the Lord brought forth a spring of pure water, which soon filled up the entire well. One time through his prayer the monk raised up a drowned man. And many others miracles the Lord worked through His Saint.
In extreme old age the venerable Dios became grievously ill. He took his leave from the brethren, communed the Divine Mysteries and lay upon his cot, like one dead. At the monastery for the funeral service were Patriarch Atticus (Cheesefare Saturday) and also the Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria, who was then at Constantinople. The holy elder unexpectedly rose up from his deathbed and said: "The Lord has given me yet fifteen years of life." Great was the joy of the brethren.
Saint Dios actually did live another fifteen years, helping all with guidance and counsel, healing the sick, and being concerned for the poor and homeless. Shortly before death a radiant man in priestly garb appeared to him in the altar of the church and foretold to him about the impending day of death. Having given thanks to the Lord for this news, Saint Dios quietly died and was buried in his monastery (about the year 430).
HYMN OF PRAISE:
THE HOLY AND VENERABLE DIOS
By St. Nikolai Velimirovich
From early youth to extreme old age
The miracles of God's mercy, Dios counted,
God's mercy and God's justice.
Night and day, Dios directed his thoughts
In the divine light, in the divine paths,
Repelling passions and demons bitter.
What is a human being? As a murky water
That the image of the heavenly firmament does not accept.
Can the murky water transparent become,
That in it heaven can be mirrored?
It can, Dios claims, with the walk of the saints,
But, with the help of the Cross of Christ the Savior.
The Cross, in the heart place, in the midst of your being,
Affix to it your thought and God you will see
And the water murky cleared up will be,
And until now, miracles unseen you will see.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Thou didst prove to be a citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Dios, our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer thou didst obtain heavenly gifts, and thou healest the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to thee with faith. Glory to Him that hath given thee strength. Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.
Another Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
O Venerable Father, thou didst live a holy and angelic life, and wast a vessel of the Spirit's glory; for by working signs and wonders, thou wast resplendent among the Venerables. We therefore praise thee, O blessed Dios.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
In God, thou wast armed with purity of soul; and taking in hand unceasing prayer as though a spear, Dios, thou didst mightily cut down all the demonic hordes, O Father who workest wonders and signs and prayest unceasingly for all of us.
Oikos
How shall I praise thy struggles, wretched as I am, O Venerable Father? And how shall I describe the sea of thy tears? For thou becamest eminent for thy way of life, and didst attain unto the Angels’ choir, having put to death well nigh all the passions by temperance, O wise Dios; making thy flesh to toil like a slave, thou madest it subject to the spirit; holding prayer as a sword, thou smotest down the prince of darkness; and thou prayest unceasingly for all of us.
Kathisma Doxastikon in Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Dedicated to God from thine infancy, firmly following after Him to the end, O Dios acclaimed of all, thou wast given His gifts of grace; thou didst chase the unclean throngs of demons away by grace, and didst build to the praise of thy Lord a monastic house; and, O Venerable Father, thou wast even deemed worthy to wondrously raise the dead by thine undoubting prayer to God. For this cause we cry out to thee: Intercede with Christ our God that forgiveness of all their transgressions be granted to them that with longing keep thy holy memory.