This great ascetic and saint of the Orthodox Church was born near Sophia,
Bulgaria in the town of Skrino during the reign of King Boris. He was of poor
but honorable parents. After the death of his parents, John was tonsured a monk
and withdrew to a mountain wilderness and, began to live a life of strict
asceticism in a cave. There, he endured many assaults, both from demons and men,
from robbers and his relatives. After this, he moved to the Rila mountain and
settled in a hollow tree. He fed only on herbs and broad beans, which,
according to God's Providence began to grow in the vicinity. For many years, he
did not see a man's face until again, by God's Providence, he was discovered by
sheepherders who were seeking their lost sheep. Thus, the saint was heard of
among the people and they began to come to him seeking help in sickness and in
sufferings. The Bulgarian King Peter himself visited John and sought counsel
from him. Many who were zealots for the spiritual life settled in the proximity
of John. There, a church and monastery was quickly built. St. John rested
peacefully in the Lord on August 18, 946 A.D. at the age of seventy. After his
death, he appeared to his disciples. At first, his relics were translated to
Sophia, then to Hungary, then to Trnovo and finally to the Rila monastery where
they repose today. Throughout the centuries, the Rila monastery was a beacon of
light, a place of miracle-working power and a spiritual comfort for the
Christian people of Bulgaria especially during the difficult times of bondage
under the Turks.
這大禁欲並且正統的教會的聖人在 Sophia 附近出生, 在在國王鮑裡斯的朝代期間的 Skrino 的鎮的保加利亞。他有窮人但是尊敬的父母。在他的父母的死亡以後, 伊望。是噸肯定一個修道士並且撤退了到山荒地並且, 開始了生活在一個洞的嚴格的禁欲主義的生活。在那裡, 他忍受了許多襲擊, 從魔鬼和人的兩個, 從強盜和他的親戚。在這以後，他搬了到 Rila 山並且在一棵空樹裡安定了。他僅僅在植物和蠶豆上喂了, 它, 根據上帝的普羅維登斯開始了在鄰近成長。有許多年的時間, 他沒看見一個人的臉直到再, 由上帝的普羅維登斯，他被牧羊人發現正在尋求他們的失去的綿羊。這樣, 聖人在人民之中被聽說並且他們開始了來找他在疾病並且在痛苦尋求幫助。保加利亞的國王撇。特爾自己訪問了伊望。並且從他尋求了法律顧問。是為神的生活的熱心者的人，在伊望。的最近解決了的許多。在那裡, 一個教會和修道院快速被造。聖伊望。和平地在 8 月 18 日在主休息了, 946 A.D 在 70 歲時。在他的死亡以後，他在門徙看來了。最初, 他的遺物被遷座到 Sophia , 然後到匈牙利，然後到 Trnovo 並且最後到 Rila 修道院在哪兒他們修養今天。在整個世紀, Rila 修道院是光的烽火, 為保加利亞的克裡斯琴人的工作奇跡力量和神的安逸的一個地方特別在在土耳其人下面的奴役的困難的時間期間。
Florus and Laurus were brothers in the flesh, and in spirit and in vocation.
Both were zealous Christians and, by occupation, stonecutters. They lived in
Illyria. A pagan prince hired them for the building of a temple to the idols.
It happened that during their work, a piece of stone flew and struck the eye of
the pagan priest's son who was observing the work of the builders with
curiosity. Seeing his son blind and bloody, the pagan priest began to shout at
Florus and Laurus and wanted to beat them. Then, the holy brothers said to him
that if he would believe in the God in whom they believed, his son would be
healed. The pagan priest promised. Florus and Laurus prayed with tears to the
one, living, Lord God and traced the sign of the Cross over the child's injured
eye. The child was immediately healed and his eye became whole just as it had
been. Then the pagan priest Merentius and his son were baptized and, shortly
after that, both suffered for Christ by fire. When they completed the temple,
Florus and Laurus placed a cross on it, summoned all Christians and consecrated
it in the name of the Lord Jesus with an all-night vigil of hymn singing.
Hearing of this, the Illyrian deputy burned many of those Christians and threw
Florus and Laurus alive in a well and then filled it with dirt. Later, their
relics were revealed and translated to Constantinople. These two wonderful
brothers suffered and were martyred for Christ and were glorified by Christ in
the second century.
Florus 和 Laurus 是在肉的兄弟, 並且在神並且在職業。兩個是熱心的合[利爾]斯托。斯教並且, 由職業，石工。他們生活在了 Illyria 。一個異教徙王子為堂的大樓僱用了他們到聖像。碰巧在他們的工作期間，一塊石頭飛了並且打擊了異教徙司祭的與好奇心正在觀察建築者的工作的兒子的眼睛。看見他的瞎並且流血的兒子, 異教徙司祭在 Florus 和 Laurus 開始了到呼喊並且想要打他們。那麼, 神聖的兄弟向他說如果他將相信他們在其相信了的上帝，他的兒子將被愈合。異教徙司祭答應了。Florus 和 Laurus 與眼淚祈禱了到一個, 生活, 主上帝並且在孩子的家上跟蹤了十字的跡象受傷的眼睛。孩子很快地被愈合並且當它是，他的眼睛就變得了整個。然後異教徙司祭 Merentius 和他的兒子被給某人施洗禮並且, 立即在那以後，兩個在火邊為合[利爾]斯托。斯受苦了。他們甚麼時候完成了堂， Florus 和 Laurus ，把一個十字放了在它上, 召集了所有的合[利爾]斯托。斯教並且與唱歌的聖歌的通宵的守夜以主伊伊穌。斯的名義奉獻了它。聽說這, Illyrian 代理人燒了許多那些合[利爾]斯托。斯教並且活在一口井扔了 Florus 和 Laurus 並且然後用塵土填滿了它。后來, 他們的遺物被揭示到土耳其都市並且遷座。這些 2 個好兄弟受苦了並且為合[利爾]斯托。斯是市場年並且被合[利爾]斯托。斯在第二世紀贊美。
Emilian was born in Armenia. According to his wishes and seeking martyrdom,
he traveled to Italy to preach Christ during the reign of Diocletian. He was
elected bishop of Trevi. As a result of the many miracles during the time of
his torture, approximately one thousand pagans believed in Christ. He was slain
by the sword together with Hilarion, his spiritual father and two brothers,
Dionysius and Hermippus.
Emilian 在亞美尼亞出生。根據他的愿望和尋求的殉教，他旅行了到意大利在 Diocletian 的朝代期間宣講合[利爾]斯托。斯。他被選 Trevi 的主教。由於在他的折磨的時間期間的許多奇跡，近似 1000 異教徙相信了合[利爾]斯托。斯。他被劍和 Hilarion ，他的神的父親和 2 個兄弟， 狄奧尼修斯和 Hermippus 殺死。
THE HOLY MARTYRS FLORUS AND LAURUS
神聖的FLORUS殉教者 和 LAURUS
To two sons, two saints, a mother gave birth,
到 2 個兒子, 2 聖人, 一位母親生孩子了，
Blessed is such a mother that pleases God.
有福氣是高興上帝的如此的一位母親。
Wonderful Florus and Laurus, cut the stones,
奇妙的 Florus 和 Laurus , 切石頭，
Along with that, by the Cross, the souls of men corrected;
與那一起, 由十字，人的靈魂改正了;
What a chisel is to stone, a Cross is to the soul,
多好的鑿子到石頭, 一個十字到靈魂，
By the Cross chisled out, for the Cross they perished.
由生氣的 chisled 外面, 為十字他們死亡了。
The pagan priest, the unseen miracle saw:
異教徙司祭, 幽冥的奇跡看了︰
The eye knocked out - the eye healed!
眼睛外面敲門了 - 眼睛愈合了﹗
A miracle unseen! For him, that was enough
幽冥的一個奇跡﹗為他，那是足夠
And with the Cross was baptized and a martyr became.
並且與十字被給某人施洗禮並且一位殉教者成為了。
Wonderful Florus and Laurus, temple of the idols built,
奇妙的 Florus 和 Laurus , 聖像的堂造了，
But, in their heart, glorify Christ the God.
但是, 在他們的心，贊美合[利爾]斯托。斯上帝。
The brothers, a new pagan temple built,
兄弟, 新的異教徙堂造了，
But, on it a Cross placed and behold - a Christian temple!
但是, 在它上一個十字放了並且看到 - 克裡斯琴堂﹗
Still, with hymns of praise to Christ, they filled it
仍然, 與到合[利爾]斯托。斯的讚美詩，他們充滿了它
And with the beauty of candles and incense pure.
並且與蠟燭和純的香氣的美人一起。
Man to man resembles it in the same way,
公開地在一樣的方法相似於它，
But one is humble and the other is flamboyant.
但是一個人是謙卑的並且其它是火焰似的。
Behold, very similar are they, in body and attire,
看到, 很類似是他們, 在正文和服裝，
But very different in mind and spirit.
但是很不同在頭腦和神。
In one is Christ and holiness pure,
在一個是合[利爾]斯托。斯和純的神聖，
In the other is the diabolical suffering and emptiness.
在裡面其它是惡毒受苦並且空虛。
That may our body God grant it
那可以我們的正文上帝同意它
To be temples of the Living God, the Spirit
是生活的上帝的堂，神
Through the powerful prayers of God's chosen ones.
通過上帝選擇的有力的禱告。
The brothers Florus and Laurus, holy martyrs.
兄弟 Florus 和 Laurus , 神聖的殉教者。
It is not a rare occasion, especially in our time, that parents become the
culprits for the spiritual death of their children. Whenever a child has an
aspiration for the spiritual life, asceticism, monasticism and the parent
curtails this aspiration instead of encouraging it, such a parent becomes the
murderer of his child. And, such children, as a punishment to their parents,
often turn to the opposite side and become perverted. A boy named Luke, the
nephew of St. John of Rila, hearing about his uncle and drawn by the desire for
the spiritual life, visited his uncle in the mountain. John received Luke with
love and began to instruct and to strengthen him in the mortification of
asceticism. However, one day Luke's father appeared at the cave of John and
furiously began to scold the saint for keeping his son in that wilderness.
John's words and counsels were of no avail. The father dragged the son home by
force. However, on the way home a serpent bit the boy and Luke died. The cruel
father saw in this the punishment of God and repented but it was all too late.
He returned to John mourning and condemning himself. But the saint only said to
him to bury the child and to return from wherever he came.
它不是一個稀罕的場合, 特別在我們的時間，那個父母為他們的孩子的神的死亡成為犯人。無論何時因為神的生活，禁欲主義，修道生活和父母削減這渴望而不是鼓勵它，一個孩子有渴望，如此的一個父母成為他的孩子的殺人犯。並且, 如此的孩子, 作為到他們的父母的懲罰，經常轉到相反的方面並且成為歪曲。一個男孩命名了魯喀。, Rila 的聖伊望。的外甥, 聽說他的叔叔並且為神的生活由欲望繪畫, 在山訪問了他的叔叔。伊望。與愛收到了魯喀。並且開始了指示並且在禁欲主義的禁欲加強他。然而, 一天魯喀。的父親在伊望。的洞出現了並且狂怒地開始了為把他的兒子放在那荒地責罵聖人。伊望。的詞和法律顧問沒有結果。父親回家由力量拖了兒子。然而, 在一條毒蛇咬了的回家的路上男孩和魯喀。死了。殘酷的父親在這看見了上帝的懲罰並且后悔但是它都是太遲了的。他回到了哀悼並且譴責他自己的伊望。。但是聖人僅僅向他說埋葬孩子並且從他來了返回。
To contemplate God's wondrous choosing of David as king (1 Samuel 16 1 King
16):
沉思上帝令人驚奇作為國王達微。德選擇 ( 1 塞繆爾 16 1 國王 16 ) ︰
1. How the Lord instructed Samuel to go to the home of Jesse and anoint one
of his sons as king;
1 . 主怎麼指示了塞繆爾去傑西的家並且作為國王涂油於他的兒子之一;
2. How the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint David, a herder of sheep, the
eighth and youngest son of Jesse;
2 . 主怎麼指示了塞繆爾涂油於達微。德, 綿羊的一她, 第 8 並且傑西的最年輕的兒子;
3. How Samuel anointed David and how the Spirit of God descended upon David.
3 . 怎麼塞繆爾涂油於了達微。德並且上帝的神怎麼在達微。德之上下降了。
About peace between the wolf and the lamb
關於在狼和羔羊之間的和平
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall
lie down with the kid" (Isaiah 11:6).
“狼將也與羔羊居住並且豹將與小孩躺下” ( 艾賽爾 11:6 ) 。
Thus, the true prophet foretold the truth. And he further added: "The
calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; …and the lion shall eat straw
like the ox" (Isaiah 11:6-7). And the child will place his hand in the hole
of a poisonous snake [asp] and the snake will not harm him. Brethren, when will
this wonder occur? This has already occurred when Christ the wonder-worker
appeared on earth. This is a reality of Paradise, which was restored among men
with the coming of the Savior upon earth. The prophet speaks enigmatically but,
nevertheless, clearly; enigmatically, for the prophet does not speak about wild
beasts but of men; for his prophecy was clearly fulfilled in Christ's Church.
Men, who by their habits, were as wolves, wildcats, lions, bears, oxen, lambs,
kids and serpents all stand before the Child of Bethlehem equalized by faith,
tamed by grace, illumined by hope and softened by love.
這樣, 真實的先知預知了真相。並且他進一步增加了︰“小牛和年輕的獅子和幼畜一起;並且小孩子將領導他們。並且奶牛和熊將喂;…
和獅子將象公牛一樣吃稻草“ ( 艾賽爾 11:6-7 ) 。並且孩子將把他的手放在一條有毒的蛇的洞裡 [ 毒蛇 ] 並且蛇將不傷害他。兄弟們, 這個奇跡甚麼時候將發生？當時，這已經發生了創造奇跡者出現了的合[利爾]斯托。斯在地球上。這是天堂的現實, 它與在土之上救世主來在人之中被恢複。先知謎一般地說話但是, 但，清楚地;謎一般地, 因為先知不關於野生的野獸但是人說話;清楚地在合[利爾]斯托。斯的教會為他的預言被完成。人, 由他們的習慣，作為狼，野貓，獅子，熊，公牛，羔羊，小孩和在伯利恆的孩子前的所有的看台由信念使相等了的毒蛇，由優雅馴養了, 由希望照亮了並且由愛弄軟了。
The prophet further fortells why this will take place. "For the earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea"
(Isaiah 11:9). When viewed physically, every man is earth. The man who
believes in Christ and, in truth follows after Christ, becomes full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the sea, which is filled with water. Such were many
individuals. Such were even entire companies of ascetics in Egypt, on the Holy
Mountain [Athos], on Cyprus, in Russia, in Armenia and in other places. But
this is not all. The knowledge of the Lord has spread today throughout the
earth. Holy Scripture is distributed throughout all nations. There are few
corners of the earth where the Gospel of Christ is not read, where the name of
God is not known and where the Bloodless Sacrifice of the Lord is not offered.
Some deny Christ, others embrace Him, some abandon the true Faith and others
embrace the true Faith. And thus continues the one struggle throughout the
entire world in the sign of the Lord Jesus. The overly filled waters pour out
and flow into empty valleys; the empty valleys become filled and are made equal
with the high waters. Everything is not glowing in the world as we Christians
wish it to be, but the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah was gloriously fulfilled
most clearly and was accomplished. O how wonderful is the vision of Isaiah, the
son of Amos, the true prophet. O, miracle-working Lord, tame the beastly nature
of those men and people who are not tamed by the power of Your love. That we all
may be fruitful from Your abundance. That we all may be glorious from Your
Glory and alive Lord, alive from Your Immortal life.
先知推進這將發生的堡壘厄爾。“因為地球將充滿主的知識，當水蓋住海” ( 艾賽爾 11:9 ) 。當身體上地看了時，每個人是土。相信合[利爾]斯托。斯的人並且, 在合[利爾]斯托。斯以後在真相列在后面, 作為海充滿主的知識成為, 它充滿水。如此的是許多個人。如此的是在埃及的 ascetics 的甚至全部公司, 在神聖的山上 [ Athos ], 在賽浦路斯上, 在俄國，在亞美尼亞並且在另外的地方。但是這都不是。主的知識今天在整個地球傳播了。神聖的經書在整個所有的國家被散布。有合[利爾]斯托。斯的主條沒被讀的地球的很少角落, 在哪兒上帝的名字不被知道並且主的不流血的犧牲在哪兒沒被提供。一些否認合[利爾]斯托。斯, 其它擁抱他, 一些放縱真實的費思和其它擁抱真實的費思。並且這樣在主伊伊穌。斯的跡象在整個全部世界繼續一斗爭。過分被充滿了的水外面倒並且流進空山谷;空山谷成為充滿並且與高水位線被使相等。當，任何事情不在世界正在發光我們合[利爾]斯托。斯教希望它是，但是先知艾賽爾的預言光榮地最清楚地被完成並且被完成。怎麼奇妙是艾賽爾的視覺的 O , 阿摩司的兒子, 真實的先知。O , 工作奇跡主, 馴養那些人和沒被你的愛的力量馴養的人的殘忍的天性。我們都可以從你的豐富是多產的。我們都可以從你的光榮和活著的主是光榮的, 活著從你的不朽的生活。
To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
讚榮和感謝永遠歸於你。阿民。