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| St. Agapetos of Rome (Feast Day - April 17) |
Verses
Dying what did you cry out? Savior I have loved you.
But you were loved even more Agapetos.
But you were loved even more Agapetos.
Our Holy Father Agapetos lived during the reign of Justinian the Great (527-565). Nurtured with every virtue and asceticism, he was elevated to the office of the hierarchy, and became Pope of Rome. He then went to Constantinople to meet Emperor Justinian, and while on the way, he showed evidence of his virtue and boldness before God. Coming to Greece he found a man who suffered with two untreatable conditions, for he could neither speak nor walk, though he was mute from birth, and he was forced to drag himself along the ground like a reptile. The Saint therefore took him by the hand, and made his legs complete and healthy, while in his mouth he placed a portion of the body of the Master Christ, and he was able to produce speech.
And when the Saint went to Constantinople, he performed another miracle. Going to the gate of the city, which is known as Golden, he found a blind man, and placing his hands over his eyes, the power and energy of sight returned. For his virtues and gifts of grace, he was worthily received with much honor, not only by those who ruled but also by the emperor, as well as by all the people. While he was there, he banished Anthimos the Bishop of Trebizond, who had falsely been elevated to the throne of Constantinople, for this cacodox man accepted the Monophysite heresy of Eutyches and Severus, and this delivered him an anathema. Instead of Anthimos, he ordained as Patriarch of Constantinople one named Menas, and he sat on the throne even though he had only been a Presbyter. Having lived for a short time after this, he departed to the Lord. His Synaxis is celebrated in the Great Temple of the Holy Apostles.*
Notes:
* Agapetos I was Pope of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536.