Today, we celebrate the Equal-to-the-Apostles and Protomartyr Thekla, and the arrival of the Orthodox mission to Alaska - among many others. - Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla was born into wealth, and at 18 was betrothed. She heard St Pauls preaching, though, and chose to reject the marriage and devote her life to preaching the Gospel. Complaints by the fiance caused Paul to be imprisoned, and Thekla ran away, bribed the prison guards to listen to St Pauls teachings, where she was found 3 days later and brought home by force. St Paul was banished. Maternal threats and pleadings were not successful in convincing Thekla to marry, and her mother demanded a death sentence, which was granted. Making the sign of the cross, the bonfire didnt burn and rain put it out. Thekla left, followed Paul and preached with him in Antioch (where more death-defying miracles followed), and then moved to Seleucia, preaching and healing. At 90, pagan sorcerers - furious at her for treating the sick for free - sent followers to defile her. Thekla asked Christ for help, and the hill split open to hide her & bring her to God. - We also celebrate the arrival in 1794 in America of the first Orthodox mission - a group of 10 monks making a 7,327 mile journey from Valaam to Alaska. May we have their prayers! +++LiKE iT + PLuS iT+++
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 22:24:03 +0000
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