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Friday, December 29, 2017

Saint Markellos of the Unsleeping Ones and the Demon Possessed


Saint Markellos was from Apamea in Syria. He was the abbot of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones in Constantinople for approximately forty years. He was clairvoyant, a healer and great wonderworker. He spoke with angels and easily defeated demons and drove them out. This holy and glorious man entered into rest in the year 485.

The grace and power of God was made manifest through the Saint in many instances. Below we shall give an account of two instances in which he liberated the demon possessed by divine grace.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Saint Juliana and Her Authority Over the Devil


By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Whoever climbs to the Kingdom of Christ must encounter obstacles, and these obstacles are numerous and varied. Especially dangerous are the evils of the demons. Therefore, every man zealous for the spiritual life must be especially cautious and not accept every shining vision from the other world as a divine revelation. That even the devil is able to appear as an angel of light is shown in the life of the Holy Martyr Juliana (Dec. 21).

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The Witches' Days of Winter in Slovakia - November 25 to December 13


The time between the feast of Saint Katherine (November 25) and Saint Lucy (December 13) used to be called Witches’ Days in Slovakia, as women who could tell the fortunes of people were perceived as witches (bosorkas or strigas in Slovak, a male using magic was strigôň).

The first day was the feast of Saint Katherine, when people defended against evil with garlic. Garlic was eaten, used for smearing on doors, door-handles, locks, and latches. Women were strictly forbidden to do any work on this day, especially spinning and sewing, so that their fingers would not fester during summer works. A superstition said that if the first person to enter a house on Saint Katherine's was a woman, dishes will be smashed in it for the whole year to come. Young single men made rounds in the village in female clothing and in masks. Tools from a house where maidens were living were stolen and secretly removed and hidden.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Saint Savvas the Sanctified in Demon Haunted Kastellion


There was a mountain called Kastellion about twenty stadia from the Lavra of Saint Savvas. No one dared set foot in that rugged and remote territory, for it was the haunt of countless demons. Nevertheless, Saint Savvas placed his hope in the Lord and sprinkled the entire area with oil from the lamp of the Holy Cross, and there he dwelt for the Great and Holy Fast.

Now from the outset, he encountered fierce warfare from the demons, to the point that he wished to leave, not being able to bear the fearful disturbances that they caused. But the all-good Lord, Who of old strengthened the Great Abba Anthony of Egypt, also encouraged Savvas to be patient and to persevere to the end. In fact, Savvas did pursue his struggles there, greatly strengthened by the aid of the Lord, wherein he became so terrifying to the demons that he overcame, that they fled at the very sight of him. Wherefore, the righteous one was glad and continued his sojourn there in prayer until the end of the Fast.

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