St. Cosmas of Aetolia
Born in 1714 in the village of Mega Dendron in Aetolia, Greece, Cosmas became a monk and priest at the Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos.
With the blessing of Patriarch Seraphim II of Constantinople, he spent some twenty years traveling on foot through Greece, its islands, and Albania, preaching the Gospel to Christians under Ottoman rule and founding more than two hundred schools along with churches and charities. His recorded Teachings and prophecies were preserved by his listeners and remain widely read. Accused before the Ottoman authorities, he was hanged near Kolkondas in Albania on August 24, 1779, and was glorified as a New Hieromartyr and Equal-to-the-Apostles by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1961.
You need your soul and Christ. Even if the whole world were to fall apart, no one can take these two things away from you against your will.
We must have two loves: the love for God and the love for our neighbor. It is natural for us to have these two loves, and contrary to nature not to have them.
The soul is man. It is the soul which sees, hears, talks, walks, learns sciences, gives life to the body.
Ten thousand Christians love me and one hates me; a thousand Turks love me and one doesn't; thousands of Jews want my death and one doesn't.
Troparion · Tone 3
By teaching the Divine Faith, you richly adorned the Church and became a zealous emulator of the Apostles; for being lifted up on the wings of divine love, you spread the message of the Gospel far and wide. O glorious Cosmas, entreat Christ God that He may grant us great mercy.
Kontakion · Tone 4
As a newly-shining luminary of the Church, you enlighten all things with the teachings of Christ's Gospel, O Cosmas, equal of the Apostles; therefore your memory is worthy to be honored.
Saints around August 24
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