Sunday of All Saints
St. Nicholas Bulletin - June 27, 2021 - First Sunday after Pentecost
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Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo esta entra nosotros! |
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Homily for the Sunday of All Saints
from St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
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Christ is in our midst!
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Mt. 32–33). The Lord said this to His disciples who stood before Him then; the All-Seeing Lord, Who sees the distant future as the present, said it to all of His disciples, without exception, of all times and countries; the Lord said it also to you who stand here, in His holy temple, who have numbered yourselves amongst His disciples through holy Baptism. As lightening that flashes from one edge of the skies to the other without losing any of its brilliance, so has the Lord’s sentence reached to us through eighteen centuries, proclaimed in the Gospels in all power and clarity. The Lord’s disciples are not only those who call themselves Christians in His name, not only those who took vows of service to Him—His disciples are those who truly confess Him as their Lord, confess Him as their fully empowered Master and eternal King, following His teachings as the teachings of the Lord, fulfilling His commandments as the commandment of the Lord. Their confession must be made with mind, heart, word, deed, and their entire lives. Shame, timidity, and wavering are not tolerated in this confession.
Confession requires decisive self-denial. It must be triumphant. It must be made as if in the open arena, before all mankind, before angels, saints, and fallen angels, before the gaze of earth and heaven. For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men (1 Cor. 4:9), as the Apostle Paul says of himself and the rest of the Holy Apostles. The Apostles were not ashamed or afraid to confess the God-man Who was punished with a shameful execution, sentenced by judges ecclesiastical and civil; they were not ashamed or afraid to confess before ecclesiastical and civil judges, before the powerful and wise of the earth, before tyrants and torturers, faced with torments and execution, with violent death. The holy martyrs bore such confession to the Lord; they gave the entire space of the earth their blood to drink, proclaiming to the all the earth their holy testimony of the truth of the knowledge of God and worship of God. Monastic saints confessed the Lord with unseen martyrdom and constant self-denial throughout the course of their lives: they served as a point of union between earth and heaven, between angels and men, belonging to heaven during their time on the earth, entering into communion with angels and their hosts while yet in their earthly habitations. The pleasers of God who labored in the world confessed the Lord by their disdain and complete disregard for worldly principles, and to these people the Gospel words could be justly applied: These are in the world, yet they are not of the world (Jn. 17:11, 16). Confession of the Lord joined with resolute and total denial of the world and of themselves was the sign of all the saints.
Whoever confesses the Lord during his earthly sojourn as the Lord taught, whoever proves through his own life that he precisely confesses the Lord as his Lord and God—him will the Lord confess as His disciple; He will confess His true disciples not only before the whole universe, but before God the Father. God the Son’s confession of a person before God the Father leads that person into a most intimate unity with God (cf. Jn 14:20).
When a person confesses God in a way that is pleasing to Him and as prescribed by Him, it is a sign that God has chosen that person. The fruit of a good human will is inclusion amongst the ranks of the chosen.
Weak, ambiguous confession is not accepted, it is refused as something unneeded, as something unworthy of God. It is not enough to confess secretly within the soul; it is necessary to confess with the lips and by words. Confession with words is not enough—it is necessary to confess with deeds and by life. The Lord said, Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mk. 8:38). He must not only confess the Lord, not only acknowledge His Divinity and sovereignty; he must confess His teaching, His commandments. His commandments are confessed by fulfilling them. Fulfilling them contrary to the generally accepted customs of human society is the confession of The Lord and His words before men. Human society is called sinful and adulterous because it has mostly inclined towards sinful life; it has betrayed and traded love of God for love of sin. The customs that reign in the world, having the weight of law higher than all laws, is contrary to, at enmity with, a life that is pleasing to God. A life that is pleasing to God is an object of hatred and mockery for the proud world. In order to escape the world’s hatred, persecution, and darts, a heart that is weak and unconfirmed in faith leans toward man-pleasing, betrays the Lord’s teachings, and excludes itself from the ranks of the chosen.
The Lord confirms His disciples in faithfulness to Him and His teachings; He confirms them with threatening words and sentences, timely pronounced. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Mt. 10:32-33).
Dependency upon human society is not as strong as dependency upon family. It is easier to refuse to submit to the demands of society than to refuse to submit to the demands of family. Family demands are aided by the laws of nature, and when these demands are in concord with the law of God, then that very law of God aids them. The servant of Christ often finds himself perplexed by conflicting demands, not knowing which of them should be met as pleasing to God. The Lord in His foresight resolves this perplexity to complete satisfaction. He completed the above words with the following: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Mt. 10:37). “He who prefers the will of his parents or any other relatives according to the flesh over My will, he who prefers their way of thinking and philosophy over My teaching, he who prefers to please them rather than please Me, is not worthy of Me.”
Difficulties and hindrances to confession of Christ that work against a Christian from the outside are insignificant when compared with the difficulties and hindrances that are within us. Sin which lives in the mind, heart, and body directly opposes confession of Christ, confession by fulfilling His commandments; sin stubbornly opposes this fulfillment. The most natural goodness, when damaged by sin, makes confession difficult by endeavoring to introduce and mix the confession of fallen nature into it. The confession of Christ is ruined by this mixture; it ascribes an incomplete fallenness to fallen nature, and detracts from the significance of Christ—a significance which is all-perfect, and therefore cannot tolerate such impurity. It demands firm recognition of the corruption of fallen nature.
It is possible to draw back from human society, or from relatives; but where do you go to get away from yourself? Where can you hide from your own nature? How do you escape it? In order to be freed from slavery to fallen nature, the Lord commands us to crucify our nature; that is, to deny its reason and will, to nail the mind’s activity and the heart’s attractions to the commandments of the Gospels. Thus, They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24): they have crucified their carnal mind and their fallen nature’s will, upon which the soul’s and body’s sinful attractions, and sinful life, are founded and built. Thus was the world crucified to the Apostle and the Apostle to the world (cf. Gal. 6:14). The holy prophet David prayed to God to be granted the strength and ability to so crucify himself: Nail down my flesh with the fear of Thee (Ps. 118:120); that is, my carnal mind and my will, so that they would remain immobilized! Establish for Thy servant Thine oracle [word] unto fear of Thee (Ps. 118:38), so that I might be steadily guided in my seen and unseen activity by Thy word. He who mortifies his fallen nature with the sword of Christ’s teaching—whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, says the Lord, the same shall save it (Mk. 8:35; Mt. 10:39). On the contrary, whoever acts according to the reasoning and attractions of his fallen nature, mistakenly accepting them as good—He that findeth his life shall lose it. And he that taketh not his cross, who does not take the yoke of My commandments upon himself, and followeth not after me, in self-denial, but follows his own self, is not worthy of me (Mt. 10:38–39).
The Holy Church, intending to explain most satisfactorily the fate of God’s chosen ones in both time and eternity, has determined that after hearing the terrible, impartial, and resolute sentence from the mouth of God, we should read today the Lord’s answer to the Apostle Peter’s question: Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? (Mt. 19:27). The Lord promised great honor to the twelve Apostles. As the God-man is the only eternal King of Israel, that is, of all Christians, the spiritual Israel—which must consist of all nations of the earth and finally inhabit the promised land, heaven—it is natural that the God-man’s Apostles, through whom all the nations came to submit to Him, should be made the leaders and judges of this new Israel, this eternal, heavenly nation. Having informed the Apostles of their significance in the state of human eternity (cf. Mt. 19:28), the Lord adds, And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, (Mt. 19:29) for my sake, and the gospel’s … shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life (Mk. 10:29–30; cf. Mt. 19:29). Persecution is what earthly life is called. It is persecution because humans were cast down to the earth and subjected to a sojourn of suffering upon it for transgressing God’s commandments. It is a place and time of persecution for the followers of Christ, because the prince of this world reigns there, the reign of sin is most widespread there, sin being the enemy of Christ’s followers, cruelly persecuting and oppressing them without interruption. They are subjected to the many different torments of sin both within them and from the outside. The fallen spirits who thirst for their destruction, work against them with frenzied hatred and incredible craftiness; working against them also are the majority of people, who have willingly enslaved themselves to the fallen spirits, and who serve them as blind, unhappy instruments; working against them also are their own passions and weaknesses.
The followers of Christ receive even in this temporary exile a hundred fold more than what they have forsaken for Christ’s sake and for the sake of His commandments. They tangibly receive the grace of the All-Holy Spirit. Before Divine grace brings consolation, all the joys and consolations of the world are destroyed; before spiritual riches, before spiritual glory, all the riches and glory of the world are destroyed; in the eyes of the saints, sinful and fleshly pleasures are disgusting filth, filled with deathly bitterness; the state of the rich and glorious of the world is like a whited sepulcher that is shiny on the outside, but inside full of stink and decay—those qualities inseparable from every corpse. A soul corrupted by eternal death—alienation from Christ—can be justly called a corpse.
All earthly good things and advantages abandon a person and remain on the earth, when, according to the inescapable and inexorable law of death, he leaves the earth and settles irrevocably into eternity. Divine grace, however, follows a different rule: it accompanies to regions beyond the grave that person who acquired it here. As soon as he casts his body, like chains, away from himself, the grace that was hitherto bound by flesh extends itself broadly and magnificently. It serves as a pledge and testimony for the chosen one of God. When he appears before the judgment that awaits every human being after death, and presents his testimony and pledge, grace fittingly brings him spiritual, eternal, indescribable, and boundless riches, splendor, and delight in heaven as the logical outcome. In the world to come (Mk. 10:30) he shall inherit everlasting life (Mt. 19:29), said the Lord—life so superabundant and refined, that fleshly man, who bases his thoughts about the unknown upon his knowledge of the known, cannot construct any understanding of it. May we also be vouchsafed, for precise confession of the Lord, to inherit this life prepared for all of us by the unfathomable, boundless mercy of the Lord, Who has redeemed us through Himself. Amen
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Commemorating All Saints of God, Known to us and Known only to Him
RESURRECTIONAL TROPARION—TONE 8
You descended from on high, O Merciful One! You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!
ALL SAINTS TROPARION—TONE 4
As with fine porphyry and royal purple, Your Church has been adorned with Your martyr’s blood shed throughout all the world. She cries to You, O Christ God: “Send down Your bounties on Your people, grant peace to Your habitation and great mercy to our souls!”
ALL SAINTS KONTAKION—TONE 8
The universe offers You the God-bearing Martyrs as the first fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator. By their prayers keep Your Church, Your habitation, in abiding peace through the Theotokos, O most Merciful One!
HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF GOD KONTAKION—TONE 6
Steadfast Protectress of Christians and constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not the cry of us sinners, but come speedily to help those who call on You in faith. Hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for You always protect those who honor You!
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ |
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READERS:
Matins: Nicholas Ressetar Epistle: Matthew Hoover
Matins Next Week: Lenny Tepsic Epistle Next Week: Dasha Gencturk
EPISTLE: Hebrews 11:33-12:2
DEACON: Let us pay attention.
PRIEST: Peace be unto all!
READER: And with your spirit!
DEACON: Wisdom.
READER: The Prokeimenon in the Eighth Tone: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!
CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!
READER: v: In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel.
CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!
READER: Pray and make your vows ...
CHOIR: … before the Lord our God!
DEACON: Wisdom!
READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!
READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: The righteous cried and the Lord heard them and delivered them out of all their troubles.
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: Many are the afflictions of the righteous; the Lord will deliver them out of them all.
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
АПОСТОЛ: Јеврејима 11:33-12:2
Ђакон: Пазимо
Свештеник: Мир свима!
Читач: I Духу Твоме!
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 8 Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Читач: Зна се у Јудеји за Бога, у Израиљу је велико име Његово.
Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Читач: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете
Хор: Господу Богу нашему.
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач: Читање посланице Св. Апостола Павла Јеврејима
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Браћо, они који вјером побиједише царства, чинише правду, добише обећања, затворише уста лавовима, угасише силу огњену, утекоше од оштрица мача, од немоћних постадоше јаки, бијаху силни у рату, поразише војске туђинске; Неке жене примише своје мртве васкрсењем; други пак бијаху мукама уморени не приставши на избављење, да би добили боље васкрсење; А други искусише поруге и шибања, па још окове и тамнице; Камењем побијени, престругани, измучени, од мача помријеше; потуцаше се у кожусима и козјим кожама у оскудици, у невољама, у патњама; Они којих свијет не бијаше достојан, потуцаху се по пустињама и горама и по пештерама и по јамама земаљским. И сви ови, освједочени у вјери, не добише обећање; Зато што је Бог нешто боље предвидјео за нас, да не би они без нас достигли савршенство. Зато и ми, имајући око себе толики облак свједока, одбацимо свако бреме и гријех који нас лако заводи, и са стрпљењем хитајмо у подвиг који нам предстоји, гледајући на Исуса, Начелника и Савршитеља вјере, који умјесто предстојеће му радости претрпи крст, не марећи за срамоту, и сједе с десне стране Пријестола Божијега.
Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!
Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Завапише праведници и Господ их чу.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Многе невоље имају праведници, али их од свих избавља Господ.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
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LITURGY GOSPEL:
Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30
The Lord said to His disciples, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Матеј 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30
Рече Господ својим ученицима: сваки који призна мене пред људима, признаћу и ја њега пред Оцем својим који је на небесима. А ко се одрекне мене пред људима, одрећи ћу се и ја њега пред Оцем својим који је на небесима. Који љуби оца или матер већма него мене, није мене достојан; и који љуби сина или кћер већма него мене, није мене достојан. И који не узме крст свој и не пође за мном, није мене достојан. Тада одговори Петар и рече му: Ето, ми смо оставили све и за тобом пошли; шта ће, дакле, нама бити? А Исус им рече: Заиста вам кажем да ћете ви који пођосте за мном, у новом животу, када сједне Син Човјечији на пријесто славе своје, сјести и сами на дванаест пријестола и судити над дванаест племена Израиљевих. И сваки који је оставио кућу, или браћу, или сестре, или оца, или матер, или жену, или дјецу, или земљу, имена мога ради, примиће сто пута онолико, и наслиједиће живот вјечни. Али ће многи први бити посљедњи и посљедњи први.
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~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~ |
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June Birthdays
Nikolas Lukic (June 1), Kolton Myers (June 2), Danica Mitrovic (June 2), Theodore Havalchak (June 3), Linda Wolf (June 4), Nora Van Huysen (June 5), Danilo Yanich (June 6), Marie Hernjak (June 6), Luke Jacobs (June 8), Jim Martin (June 9), Guiliana Bracale (June 10), Kyranna Radanovic (June 11), Jimmy Hernjak (June 11), Russell Heilman (June 13), Baylor Hook (June 13), Braydon Fithian (June 16), Xenia Grabbe (June 20), Aleksandar Bracale (June 20), Brian Lewis Jr (June 22), Cayden Healy (June 26), Michael Krnjaic (June 26), Matthew Hoover (June 28), Wayln Heilman (June 28)
June Anniversaries
Dr. James & Liliya Moses (June 1), Brian & Nikki Lewis (June 4), Mike & Terra Heilman (June 4), Fr Christopher & Popadija Andreja (June 13), Mike & Janet Krnjaic (June 14), Nick & Carole Blitva (June 16), Meghan & Brad Livingston (June 25), Mike & Samantha Stefan
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SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE
As we will continue to have the doors of the Church open during services, Matins will begin at 8am followed by Divine Liturgy at 9am.
FEAST OF VIDOVDAN
Monday, June 28, we celebrate the Feast of Vidovdan with Liturgy at 9:00am.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FELLOWSHIP HOUR
We are asking for volunteers to make coffee and provide refreshments after liturgy during the month of July. Please sign up in the Lobby after Church, or contact the office during the week.
CHURCH HALL USAGE
The Church Hall is once again available for parishioner use. Schedule your event with Daria Milletics or Fr. Chris to check for availability.
To Our Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ:
Arigato! Thank you! for all the care and kindness you have shown through your cards, memorial fund contributions, supportive words and prayers in honor of our recently reposed “Mima” and grandmother, Anna. She was not a member here, but you welcomed, loved and remembered her like family. Our hearts are full and we are ever grateful! ~Nina & Milan, Ioanna and Luis
Don’t forget to check out the new greeting cards available at the Mother’s Club Kiosk in the Lobby!
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June Charity
OCCGH
The Orthodox Christian Charities of Greater Harrisburg, Inc. (OCCGH,) was formed in October of 2009 as a non-profit organization comprised of clergy and faithful from five local Orthodox Churches of the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. Our goal is to provide opportunities for the citizens of the greater Harrisburg area to come into contact with Orthodoxy, to serve as an educational support to our local parishes, and to develop projects that witness to our Faith, as well as provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals who are in need.
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The Sunday following Pentecost is dedicated to All Saints, both those who are known to us, and those who are known only to God. There have been saints at all times, and they have come from every corner of the earth. They were Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Monastics, and Righteous, yet all were perfected by the same Holy Spirit.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to rise above our fallen state and to attain sainthood, thereby fulfilling God’s directive to “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16, etc.). Therefore, it is fitting to commemorate All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
This feast may have originated at an early date, perhaps as a celebration of all martyrs, then it was broadened to include all men and women who had borne witness to Christ by their virtuous lives, even if they did not shed their blood for Him.
Saint Peter of Damascus, in his “Fourth Stage of Contemplation,” mentions five categories of saints: Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, and Monastic Saints (PHILOKALIA [in English] Vol. 3, p.131). He is actually quoting from the OCTOECHOS, Tone 2 for Saturday Matins, kathisma after the first stichology.
Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (July 14) adds the Righteous to Saint Peter’s five categories. The list of Saint Nicodemus is found in his book THE FOURTEEN EPISTLES OF ST PAUL (Venice, 1819, p. 384) in his discussion of I Corinthians 12:28.
The hymnology for the feast of All Saints also lists six categories: “Rejoice, assembly of the Apostles, Prophets of the Lord, loyal choirs of the Martyrs, divine Hierarchs, Monastic Fathers, and the Righteous....”
Some of the saints are described as Confessors, a category which does not appear in the above lists. Since they are similar in spirit to the martyrs, they are regarded as belonging to the category of Martyrs. They were not put to death as the Martyrs were, but they boldly confessed Christ and came close to being executed for their faith. Saint Maximus the Confessor (January 21) is such a saint.
The order of these six types of saints seems to be based on their importance to the Church. The Apostles are listed first, because they were the first to spread the Gospel throughout the world.
The Martyrs come next because of their example of courage in professing their faith before the enemies and persecutors of the Church, which encouraged other Christians to remain faithful to Christ even unto death.
Although they come first chronologically, the Prophets are listed after the Apostles and Martyrs. This is because the Old Testament Prophets saw only the shadows of things to come, whereas the Apostles and Martyrs experienced them firsthand. The New Testament also takes precedence over the Old Testament.
The holy Hierarchs comprise the fourth category. They are the leaders of their flocks, teaching them by their word and their example.
The Monastic Saints are those who withdrew from this world to live in monasteries, or in seclusion. They did not do this out of hatred for the world, but in order to devote themselves to unceasing prayer, and to do battle against the power of the demons. Although some people erroneously believe that monks and nuns are useless and unproductive, Saint John Climacus had a high regard for them: “Angels are a light for monks, and the monastic life is a light for all men” (LADDER, Step 26:31).
The last category, the Righteous, are those who attained holiness of life while living “in the world.” Examples include Abraham and his wife Sarah, Job, Saints Joachim and Anna, Saint Joseph the Betrothed, Saint Juliana of Lazarevo, and others.
The feast of All Saints achieved great prominence in the ninth century, in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise (886-911). His wife, the Holy Empress Theophano (December 16) lived in the world, but was not attached to worldly things. She was a great benefactor to the poor, and was generous to the monasteries. She was a true mother to her subjects, caring for widows and orphans, and consoling the sorrowful.
Even before the death of Saint Theophano in 893 or 894, her husband started to build a church, intending to dedicate it to Theophano, but she forbade him to do so. It was this emperor who decreed that the Sunday after Pentecost be dedicated to All Saints. Believing that his wife was one of the righteous, he knew that she would also be honored whenever the Feast of All Saints was celebrated.
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