impossible to imagine the history of Orthodoxy without the presence of the saints.Men and women, old men and children quite yet - the great sufferers for the Faith and Lord.Someone's name is always on hearing someone believers offer up their prayers, hoping for help and protection, and whom some of them, few people know.On one such obscure saint discussed today.This is Barbara.Young beauty, love God more than itself, and didst flour for their faith.
Life of this saint - an example of firmness of faith and love of the Lord.Icon of Great Martyr Barbara, her face - almost a living proof of that.
Life of St. Barbara
long time ago, in a rich and noble family pagan Dioscorus was born a girl.Born future Barbara in the ancient city of Heliopolis, which in those days was located in what is now Syria.When her mother died, my father took care of all the responsibilities for the education of his only child.Dioskoros madly in love with her daughter and tried his best to protect her from everything alien, and he believed too much, including from gaining power of Christianity.Eventually, this led to the embracing love that jealous father built a nice big house in which he tried to hide from the world the beautiful daughter.
quests Barbara
But locked in the castle of the physical shell of a girl Dioskoros could not deprive it of all those ideas and thoughts that overwhelmed sufferers seeking calm soul.How often perhaps Varvara - Holy Martyr Christian - sitting at the window of his room, thinking about the beauty of the space surrounding it, feeling a burning desire to know the true creator of all this splendor.
Numerous nurses, deputed to monitor and educate her, tried to explain to her that the world was created the gods, who worships her father, but Barbara did not believe these speeches.Her thoughts flowed smoothly, she thought that the gods worshiped by his father, created by human hands, and therefore could not create a deep blue sky with white clouds, curly, thick forest and all its inhabitants, rivers, mountains and everything else.No, I think a young girl, not the man-made idols, but only one God, having their own existence, could give rise to the majestic beauty of the universe.In these reflections to Varvara gradually coming to realize that the creation of the real world is impossible without the knowledge of the One God, the Creator of all things.
Growing Barbara
girl was growing and increasingly with his father in their home began to appear matchmakers from rich families, in which there were suitors.Dioskoros dreaming of parti for his beautiful daughters, not once struck up a conversation with her about marriage, but like every conversation ended with a decisive rejection of the execution of his will.
Upon reflection, my father decided that Barbara shy potential husbands because of the fact that the reclusive life of his daughter played with it a cruel joke, do not learn to communicate with people around her.Having come to this conclusion, Dioscorus decided to give some relief to Varvara, allowing one to leave his father's house in the hope that she will get her friends, in conversations which recognizes and understands all the charm of marriage.
Ah, would know a rich pagan, how this will end, that would shut, probably his daughter forever within the walls of the house.
Baptism Martyr
One day in the future walk Barbara met on his way some Christian women, who told her about the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, his suffering for the human race and the resurrection from the dead.The girl was struck by these stories, because that was what she thought long lonely nights, not knowing how to sort out his thoughts, put them together.Fortunately, at this time in Heliopolis was passing priest who agreed to talk to Barbara and try to help one understand their thinking.In private conversation elder told the young girl to the essence of the Christian faith and baptized her after the conversation.The Holy Spirit descended on Varvara, with great love, she said, this time to God, vowing to devote all his life to the service of His glory.
feat Varvara
Dioscorus, who returned home from a trip, flew into a rage when he heard of the daughter of "seditious" speeches glorifying the One God and the Trinity.In a rage, he threw himself at her, revealing a sharp blade, but she managed to slip out of the house to escape to the mountains and hide it in the cleft.
Only in the evening on the orders of a poor shepherd's father was able to find the girl.Not wishing savagely beating daughter, Dioscorus made her leave the shelter in which it was hidden, and dragged her home.All night he cursed and beat the girl, and in the morning, knowing that nothing is achieved, and that she stubbornly holds his ground, took her to the mayor.
ruthless and cruel were the words he addressed to the governor: "I, Dioscorus, renounce his daughter, because the deity, whom I adore, she rejects.I give you my daughter to the wolves, do as it pleases you, and the gods. "
mayor tried to persuade the girl to depart from the faith of Christ, not to go against his father's will and not to offend him, and the gods.But the Holy Great Martyr Barbara was firm in his faith.Directly and honestly looking into the eyes of the torturer, she confessed the good news.Infuriated by this hardness, the head of a Christian commanded to bring converts to severe torture.Before the evening Woman torturers forced to renounce Christ.In the twilight of her half-dead, was taken to prison.
Alone, Varvara lifted fervent prayer, the Lord heard her wailing and came to her with the words: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you there, I look at your courage and heal the wounds.Be with me until the end and you come into my kingdom. "Miraculously the wound on the body of the girl dragged, fell asleep Barbara a blissful smile on his lips.
execution Barbara
morning the torturers were amazed when he saw the girl without any traces of torture on his body.This further enraged fanatics.Witness the miracle of the will of fate became a Christian woman Juliana.Even more who believed after seeing it open heralded their faith, for which he was captured by soldiers.
two girls were subjected to cruel tortures, who could not withstand the least and the most persistent man.But firm in their belief were both martyrs, with a prayer on their lips and bright eyes, they took physical torment.In the name of Jesus Christ laid down his lovely head on the block and they were beheaded.Brutal Dioscorus himself executed daughter.Lord, seeing this wickedness will soon punish the murderer, hitting him with lightning.
Burial Vavrary
After the martyrdom of the girls their remains were buried near the settlement Gelassiya.Later there was built the temple of the Great Martyr Barbara.During the reign of Emperor Justin relics were sent to Constantinople, the capital of the empire.Several centuries later, some of the remains of the Great Martyr arrived in Kiev together with the bride of Prince Svyatopolk Princess Barbara, where he found solace in the territory of St. Michael's Abode.In the early twentieth century, the relics were moved again, this time in the Kiev-Pechersk reserve.Today, cancer remains incorrupt remains of St. Vladimir's Cathedral in Kiev.
As mentioned above, in the Ukrainian land has been delivered only a part of the relics of St.The head and hands Barbara, you might say, are scattered around the world.The left hand, originally left in ancient Greece and later appeared on the territory of Poland, and then in western Ukraine, where was kidnapped by Jews and burned.Miraculously he managed to keep the ashes and a ring with hands that are currently on Canadian soil in the town of Edmonton.Some of the imperishable relics found refuge in monasteries of Thessaly (Church of Agia Episkepsi), as well as on Mount Athos - the holy Orthodox mountain.Houses the remains of the Great Martyr in Moscow.Church of St. John the Warrior Church of the Resurrection, and kept the holy miracle-working power.
First Church of the Holy
first, but not the only church of Great Martyr Barbara on Russian soil was erected in 1781 on the territory of Hrushevskoho mill.He stood the wooden church, built up by donations from the Cossacks, almost a hundred years.In 1876, after the church burned down, the residents of the camp, with the blessing of Archbishop Plato began the construction of the stone church.
During World War II the sanctuary of St. Varvara arrival was partially damaged by a shell rupture fascist.Currently, all the damage repaired, the faithful thanked offer up their prayers and read Akathist Barbara within its walls.Several times the parish tried to close, but the villagers, with all his strength trusting in God's help, to defend their temple.To this day, there are services to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ.
icon and prayer to St. Barbara
Icon Barbara Martyr as its imperishable power, of course, is a powerful symbol of faith of Orthodox Christians.Many unexplained miraculous healings get a true Christian believers.Day of Remembrance of the Holy accounts for December 17.Prayer has great strength Barbara, the giver of strengthening in the faith healing from severe illnesses and, of course, spiritual solace.
