Feast of SAINT SPIRIDION

Although his feast is no longer included either the Carmelite proper or the 2004 edition of the “Martyrologium Romanum”, his name is mentioned in the Byzantine “Synaxaria”. Saint Spiridion was born in Tremithous in Cyprus in 270 AD. Son of a poor family, he had no formal education and earned his living as a shepherd. After the death of his beloved wife, he dedicated himself to the Church and eventually rose to the office of Bishop of Tremithous. During the Maximinian persecutions he was arrested and exiled, but was returned to his see after the coming to power of Constantine. He participated in the Council of Nicea, and died around 348. When the Saracens took the island, the Cypriots opened his grave in order to remove his sacred bones to Costantinople. They found that his body had remained intact, while from the grave emanated a scent of basil, true signs of the sainthood he had shown during his life. When Costantinople fell in 1453, a Corfiot elder, Georgios Kalohairetis, brought him to Corfu, where his three children acquired the Saint's relics as an heirloom. The sacred remains then passed as the dowry of his doughter Asimia into the possession of the Voulgaris family, who placed them in their private church (which was located on the site of the Pallas Cinema). The relics of the Saint were transferred to their present church when, during the fortification of the town, the original church was demolished. The Holy Relics of the St. Spiridion go out on parade in Cyprus four times each year to commemorate times when his powerful intercession was felt. He is considered to be the island's Protector.

PRAYER.

LET the Feast of Saint Spiridion, 
Thy Confessor and Pontiff, 
protect us, O Lord! 
and as he was in prayer and in works, 
the faithful follower of the Order instituted by the Prophet Elias, 
so may we, by following in his footsteps, 
reach the enjoyment of Thyself, in his company.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit
one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

R. I. Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful Over a few things I will place thee over many; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

V. Lord, Thou didst deliver to me five talents, behold I have gained other five over and above. Enter.

R. II. Behold the high-priest who pleased God in his days; therefore, according to his oath, the Lord gave him glory in his posterity, that he should increase as the dust of the earth.

V. The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed His covenant upon his head. Therefore, according to his oath.

R. III. The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent: Thou art a priest forever according to the Order of Melchisedech.

V. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my hand. Thou art... Glory be to the Father... Thou art...

LESSON IV.

Spiridion was the Bishop of Tremithus, a city of Cyprus. He, like many other Confessors, had his right eye plucked out, and the hamstring of his left leg cut, and was then sent to the mines, during the reign and by the order of the Emperor Maximin. Under the Emperor Constantine, Spiridion was present at the Nicene Council, where he refuted with great success, and brought over to the faith, a heathen philosopher who had scoffed at the Christian religion. Saint Athanasius also records his presence and dignity in the assembly of the Fathers at Sardica. Triphyllius, the Bishop of Ledra, and the most eloquent man of his time, upon making a speech in the synod, was openly rebuked by Spiridion because he had disdained to use the simpie words of Holy Scripture. Meanwhile Blessed Spiridion, grown renowned for great holiness, ruled the Church intrusted to his charge, and became illustrious by the glory of his miracles as well as by the gift of prophecy. Once, when the fervor of his charity led him to undertake a journey that he might save an innocent man who was condemned to death, he was stopped by a stream, which had overflowed its banks. At the command of Spiridjon the stream stood still, making a passage for him and for his fellow-travellers.

LESSON V.

One night robbers came to his sheepfold, for, Bishop though he was, his Simplicity was so great that he fed his own sheep. When these wicked men stretched forth their hands to make an Opening through which to lead out the sheep, they were bound with invisible cords, and there they remained until daylight, like men given up to the torturers. The venerable Bishop bestirred himself early to lead his sheep to pasture, and he then found the young men hanging bound in the fold, though tied with no human bonds. When he learned the reason, he set free by his word those whom he had bound by his merits; and that their night’s adventure might not prove fruitless, he said to them: “ Young men, take With you one ram lest you should seem to have come here to no purpose, seeking that which it would have been better to ask for than to steal.” Spiridion set out for Antioch at the command of the Emperor Constantine, and cured him, by the mere touch, of the sickness from which he suffered. It happened that one of the courtiers gave the venerable man a buffet on the cheek; and the latter, prompt to fulfil the counsel of the Lord, turned to him the other cheek.

LESSON VI.

The holy Bishop had a daughfer called Irene, for he had espoused a wife when he was a layman, and had lived with her in honor for several years. His daughter, who had served him dutifully, died a virgin ; and after her death a man came to the Bishop saying that he had left something in her keeping. The father had known nothing of the matter ; nevertheless, what the man asked for was sought throughout the house, but was never found. The latter persisted, and urged his demand with sobs and tears ; he even declared that he would put an end to his life if that which he had left were not restored to him. The venerable man, moved by his tears, hastened to the tomb of his daughter, and called her by name. Then Irene made answer from her tomb, saying: “What wouldst thou, Father?” “Where hast thou put,” he asked, “that which this man intrusted to thee?” Then answering, she described the place and said, “There thou wilt find it buried.” The father returned home; and having found the thing just as his daughter had described it from her tomb, he gave it back to the owner. Spiridion did many other holy deeds, and he was celebrated alike for his prudence and for his christian simplicity. Remarkable for his extraordinary tenderness towards travellers and towards the poor, he fell asleep in the Lord, full of years, after having ruled the church of Tremithus with extraordinary wisdom. We read that many miracles took place near his body, which was carried later to Corcyra from the place where it had been first buried. There it is honored by the pious veneration of the faithful. Amongst the Greeks the Feast of the Blessed Spiridion is celebrated on the day before the Ides of December.

Taken from the book “Saints of Carmel” (BOSTON: JOHN CASHMAN & CO., 1896).