Feast Day: February 26th
The Life of Saint Porphyrios: There Saint Porphyrios fell under a serious malady of paralysis. Unable to walk, he would have to crawl to the Divine Services. For healing he decided to go to the Holy Places of Jerusalem… Jesus Christ said to him: “Take this Wood and preserve it”…
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Prayers
Kontakion: Arrayed with a most Sacred life, thou wast adorned with the Priestly Vestment, O all-Blessed and Godly-minded Porphyrios; and thou art conspicuous for Miracles of healing, interceding unceasingly for us all.
Hymn of Praise by Saint Nikolai Velimirovic: The Monk Mark asks Porphyrios: “You were paralytic, Holy Father, on your knees, to Church you crawled, my hand in yours, you held yesterday thus and today otherwise! At night you were ill, behold healthy you dawned So suddenly, who healed you? Of the rare physician, tell me the name.” To Mark, Porphyrios replied: “My Healer, my Creator is, last night on Golgotha, I fell asleep by severe pain, completely overpowered, as though in person, I saw clearly in a dream on the Cross, my Lord hanging, and on the other cross, the thief. As I saw, so I cried out! O God and Lord, remember me, in Your kingdom, remember me! The Good Lord, to the thief said: ‘Go down and his body heal, as your Soul, I healed.’ Quickly the thief, the cross descended, embraced me, kissed me, and raised me up, saying: ‘To Our Saviour, draw near!’ At that moment, the Lord also descended the Cross, lifted the Cross and, on me He placed it. ‘Receive the Holy Wood,’ He said, ‘And for the sake of Eternal Salvation, carry it.’ As soon as I, with my hands, grabbed the Cross, immediately I stood and was immediately made whole. To God my Creator, Glory be, to Christ my Saviour, Glory be!”
Saint Porphyrios travelled with Saint Jerome on a Pilgrimage to Venerate the Holy Places in Jerusalem. Afterwards, he settled in the Jordan wilderness to continue his Prayer and Ascesis. He then became paralysed and unable to walk, so Saint Porphyrios would crawled to the Divine Services. He then decided to return to the Holy places of Jerusalem to Pray for healing.
During a Vigil Saint Porphyrios experienced unbearable pain in his liver. He saw a vision of the Good Theif descending at the command of the Saviour Christ from the Cross, and he lead him to the Crucified Lord, who then he handed over the Sacred Wood to Saint Porphyrios for safekeeping saying “Take this Wood and preserve it”. When he recovered from this ecstatic experience, his health was completely restored.
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An Icon
