August 14, 2019 on the day The Annihilation of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord and the day of commemoration of the martyrs of Eleazar the priest, the seven Maccabean brothers, their mother Solomon and others with them , with the blessing The Most Reverend Gideon, Bishop Makarovsky, abbot of the Tithes Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, a festive divine service was performed at the monastery by the brethren in the priesthood.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, a fervent prayer was raised for peace in Ukraine and for the unity of the Orthodox Church.
After the dismissal, a water-blessing prayer service was performed, followed by consecrated honey of a new collection and fragrant herbs. < / p>
The history of the holiday of the Origin of the Honorable Trees of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord is connected with the long-standing Byzantine tradition to bypass the streets of the city with the Holy Cross to prevent diseases, which very often spread in early August. On the same day, a celebration takes place in honor of the All-Merciful Savior. It was founded in the XII century, after the victory of Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky over the Volga Bulgarians. The icon of the Savior, before which the prince and the soldiers prayed with gratitude, illuminated them with a strange radiance, after which the custom of praying before the image of the Savior on that day was spread by the Church.
The Seven Holy Martyrs Maccabees: Abim , Antoninus, Guri, Eleazar, Eusebun, Adim and Markellus, their mother Solomonius and their teacher Eleazar suffered in 166 BC from the wicked Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes. The ninety-year-old elder - the teacher of the law Eleazar, who was judged for adherence to the Mosaic law, went to torment with firmness and died in Jerusalem. The same courage was shown by the disciples of Saint Eleazar - the seven brothers of the Maccabees and their mother Solomonia. They were judged in Antioch, where fearlessly recognizing themselves as followers of the true God, they refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.
