Feast Day: July 26th
The Life of Saint Moses: Moses told her that he would not trade Spiritual riches for the perishable things of this world, and that he wished to become a Monk…
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Prayers
Canon to Saint Moses the Hungarian
Troparion – Tone 3: O great lover of purity and chastity, we sinners praise you with Sacred Hymns as another Joseph, O Moses, revered by all, and equal of the Angels. We Pray diligently to you: “Entreat Christ God that He may heal all our passions and grant us great mercy.”
Kontakion – Tone 3: Seeking God alone in Heaven, you despised all Earthly things. You did not care for your body, but valiantly gave yourself up to torments, hunger, thirst, and bonds; in prison you endured beatings, shedding your blood, and having parts of your body cut off, for the sake of purity. You preserved your virginity courageously, and now with the assembly of Virgins you stand before the Most Holy Trinity. Entreat Him to deliver from all their temptations those who cry out to you: “Rejoice, Most Blessed Father Moses.”
Hymn of Praise by Saint Nikolai Velimivorich: Purity before God, Moses vowed, free in the spirit, in spite of being shackled, replied to the rich and loathsome woman, shackled by passion, slave to debauchery: What man until now, listening to a woman saved his Soul conquered by passions? Because of a woman, Adam had been expelled from Paradise. Because of Delilah, Samson was destroyed without splendor, Solomon the all-wise, by a woman was seduced, to idolatrous stupidity was lowered Herod’s head, by a woman was charmed, the honorable head of the Forerunner John, beheaded. God’s servant I am O woman, leave me alone, and for yourself, seek a companion throughout the world. To your will, I will not submit, with you in a bond, I see no happiness. To be pure in body, this is a necessity O woman, before the Lord, that is my Holy obligation. Neither flattery, nor gold, nor your authority all, neither mind nor body will lead me astray. The Lord is Almighty, help me, He will, that my vows I will be able to honourably keep: God is the God of purity, pure He created us, He wants us to be pure and, as pure, He saves us, To a Christian O woman, purity is glory.
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“Though many of the righteous were saved with wives, I am a sinner and I will not be saved with her. I want neither kingdom nor power in the Polish land, but I seek the higher, Heavenly Kingdom. Even if I am deprived of life, I will not listen to the advice of this woman, and I will remain like a Monk, for Christ said in His Gospel, whoever has left his home and brethren, father and mother or foregoes wife or children or village for the sake of His name will inherit Eternal Life. Shall I heed Christ, or you?”
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By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich – Not one passion is conquered without a great struggle. The Holy Fathers have referred to adulterous passion as death. When the adulterer is saved from an adulterous passion it is as though he resurrected from the dead. For those who live in the world the passion of adultery is inflamed principally by seeing and for those who live a life of asceticism in the wilderness that passion is inflamed by thoughts and by imagination. Saint Sarah, a great female ascetic, was tortured by the insane passion of adultery for thirty years. She always defeated it by Prayer and drove it away from her. At one time, the foul insanity of adultery came to her in bodily form and said to her: “Sarah, you have defeated me!” Sarah humbly answered: “I have not defeated you but the Lord Christ has defeated you.” From that time on, the thought of adultery left her forever. When Saint Pimen was asked how can a man struggle against the adulterous insanity, he replied: “If man surpresses his stomach and tongue then he will be able to rule over himself.” Saint Anthony said that there exists three kinds of movements in the body: “First, the natural movement, second, unrestrained in food, and third, from the demons.” Again, others have said that the vice of adultery is strengthened by anger and pride. However, all agree that along with man’s sobriety and effort the help of God is necessary in order that this repulsive passion be uprooted completely. And that it is possible for man to preserve himself in purity, witness, among many others, Saint Moses of Urgin, who lived fifty years in the world and ten years in the Monastery, altogether a total of sixty years in completely virginal purity.
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