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| Saint Martinian |
Saint
Martinian loved God from childhood, and so was well prepared, though a youth of
eighteen, to renounce the vanity of the world. Abandoning Caesarea of
Palestine, he took up his dwelling on the mount called "The Ark" and
led the angelic life of stillness there for twenty-five years. God bestowed on
him the gift of healing and exorcism, working numerous miracles through His
favorite. Daily the blessed Martinian redoubled his wondrous strivings for
virtue, and soon his fame had spread to distant lands, bringing him crowds
eager for edification.
Sometime
later, citizens of Caesarea were discussing the blessed Martinian's virtuous
life, and especially his marvelous courage and patience. A whore called Zoe overheard
the conversation and, stirred by the demon, asked the men, "Why does the
ascetic so amaze you? Do you really think his virtue unwavering? I can bring
him down like a leaf from a tree. What do you see in him worthy of praise? He
fled to the desert like a beast, because in the city he could not endure lusts
of the flesh. It is no wonder he is passionless: he never sees a woman. You
know very well that without fire straw does not burn. It truly would be a marvel,
however, if straw did not burn when thrown into a fire. The same for this
fellow. If he sees me and is not tempted by my beauty, that would be something
marvelous. That would show he is great not only before men, but before God and
the angels as well."
So
saying, the harlot wagered the men that she could bring about Martinian's fall.
Then she went home, removed her jewelry and luxurious robes and clothed
herself in tatters. An old cape covered her head, and she had a rope for a
belt. As for her expensive clothing, earrings, golden rings, necklaces, and all
her other adornments, used to entice and beguile young men, she put these in a
sack. Bag slung over her shoulder, the whore set out at nightfall for the
mountain on which the venerable one lived. The wind blew fiercely and rain was
pouring. While approaching Martinian’s cell, the woman cried pitifully,
"Have mercy on me, servant of God, lest I, the wretch, become food for
beasts! I have lost my way and have nowhere else to turn. Do not disdain me, a
hapless sinner, for even I am the work of the Creator's hands. I beg you, holy
Father: do not turn your back on a woman lost in the wilderness on a stormy
night."
The
harlot remained outside for a long time, weeping and lamenting. At last the
blessed Martinian opened his window and saw her, dad in rags and standing in
the rain. Moved to pity, he sighed, "Woe is me, a wretched sinner! If I
fulfill God's commandment requiring that we show mercy, I risk breaking my
monastic vow. Unless I allow this woman to enter the cell, she will be devoured
by beasts or die of exposure, and I shall be her murderer. But if I let her in,
I may fall into temptation, defile my soul and body; and be condemned by the
Lord as a vile fornicator. What am I to do?" Then,
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| Fresco of Saint Martinian The Church of the Annunciation. Gracanica Kosovo. Serbia .1318. |
Martinian
retired to the inner room of his cell, locked the door, and left the harlot in
the outer room. At the third hour of the night he rose and chanted psalms
according to his rule. Afterwards, he lay on the earth and slept, but Satan
persistently disturbed him with carnal yearnings. At midnight the whore awoke,
dressed in her finery, and stuffed into the sack the rags she was wearing. Then
she waited to seduce the man of God. Shortly after dawn the saint emerged,
intending to dismiss her.
Seeing
the woman ornately garbed and bedecked with jewelry, Martinian did not
recognize her. After lengthy silence, he asked "Who are you? Where are you
from? Why are you clothed in that demonic apparel?"
"It
is I, my lord. I am the woman whom you sheltered," she replied.
"Yesterday
in rags, today in such robes! How did this change come about?" Martinian
demanded to know.
"I
am from Caesarea, my lord, and was told by many what handsome man you
are," the whore said. "Their descriptions set my heart aflame with
longing. I came to see you with my own eyes, and am not disappointed. To what
end this mortification of the flesh, this cruel fasting? What book of Scripture
teaches us not to eat, drink, or wed? Did not the Apostle write, Marriage is honorable,
and the bed undefiled? Did any of the prophets lose the Kingdom of heaven
because they were married? Did not the great and wondrous Enoch have a wife?
Yet he was taken up to heaven, where he remains to this day without tasting
death The marvelous Abraham had three wives and was called the friend of God.
He was deemed worthy to receive in his tent Go, Himself, in three persons.
Isaac, who prefigured Christ, was also married. Jacob had two wives and two
concubines: he wrestle with an angel and saw God face to face. Moses, the
Lord's fan most prophet and servant, had two wives; notwithstanding he spoke
with God, freed the Hebrew people from Egypt bondage, and attained the Heavenly
Kingdom. David and the other prophets and saints had lawful wives and begat
children and now all are in heaven."
As
she spoke, the temptress placed her hand upon Martinian's. The blessed one
wavered, and his thoughts began dragging him to the abyss. He asked, "How
can I make you my wife, when I cannot support you? As you see, I own nothing.
Never have I sought possessions."
"My
lord, agree only to live with me," the whore insisted "I require
nothing more than the sight of your face. You need not provide for me. I have a
house with furnishings, gold, silver, servants, and maids. You will be master
of everything."
As
the woman (or rather, the devil, the ancient murderer) continued in this vein,
Martinian burned with carnal desire. Soon the conversation turned to how they
would commit the sin. "Wait a moment," he said. "People visit me
to receive my blessing. I shall go out to the road and see if anyone is coming,
lest we be caught in the act. We cannot conceal our sin from God. Let us at
least hide it from men, and avoid being made a laughing-stock." With this,
he left the cell, climbed a large rock, and scanned the road.
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| Saint Martinian "Lord in your great mercy turn to me. Do not let the floods engulf me."
Document originally from the 18th century
Engraved in 1711 by Pierre Jean Mariette
Later illustrated by Mathew Elias.
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God,
the Lover of man, does not desire anyone's perdition, and did not forget that
Saint Martinian had labored for Him since his youth. Remembering the venerable
one's prayers for purity, the Lord sent help. He turned away Martinian's
thoughts from evil and inclined them to good, moving His favorite to collect
brushwood, take it to the cell, and build a roaring fire. After removing his
sandals, the man of God entered the flames, which scorched his whole body,
especially his feet. Then he stepped out of the fire, asking himself,
"Martinian, did you derive pleasure from the temporal fire? Did you find
this suffering agreeable? If you can bear intense pain, then enjoy yourself
with the woman, who is preparing eternal fire for you. Be careful, however, not
to blame her, for it is the devil who is responsible for the temptation. He
inspired her to come here and bring about your ruin. Remember, you lecher, the
fire that cannot be quenched. This visible fire sheds light and can be put out
with water, but hell-fire roars out of an abyss of darkness and cannot be
extinguished by all the seas and rivers on earth. If you can endure it fulfill
your desire."
After
his pain had eased a little, the saint entered the flames a second time,
remaining in them until he could stand it no longer. Upon emerging he collapsed
and, unable to rise, sighed and wept with his whole heart, "O Lord my God,
be merciful to me, a sinner. Forgive me for allowing my thoughts to fall into
captivity and to consent to sin. Thou searchest out the hearts and intentions
of all men; Thou knowest my heart also. Thou knowest that I have loved Thee
from a tender age, and that for Thy sake I have surrendered my flesh to fire.
Forgive me, O Lord and Master, for Thou alone art good and blessed unto the ages."
Afterwards, he chanted, how good is God to Israel, to them that are upright of
heart! But as for me, my feet were all but shaken; steps well nigh had
slipped,"
The
woman was astonished at the lengths the saint was willing to go for the sake of
his salvation. Calling to mind all wicked deeds, she awoke from spiritual
sleep. With tears clouding her eyes, she fell at blessed Martinian's feet and
entreated the man of God, "O servant of the Master, pardon me, the pitiful
evildoer! You know my lord, how many are the wiles of the devil. It was he who
incited me to tempt you. Pray, man of God, that my all-defiled soul be snatched
from the jaws of Hades”.
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| Saint Martinian. Taken from the book "Trophaeum Vitae Solitariae" (Lives of the Hermits) 16th Century - Artist: Raphaël Sadeler I |
"May
my Lord and God forgive your sin, woman. Go in peace," said the blessed
one. "Struggle to save your soul, and overcome the passions by means of
repentance. If you do you will certainly prevail over the evil one."
Martinian advised her to go to Bethlehem and
find the holy convent of the virgin Paulina. For twelve years the blessed Zoe
ardently repented, until she fell asleep in the Lord. Not once did she partake
of wine, oil, or vegetables. Her drink was water; her food bread, which she ate
daily in the evening, or every other day, and never to satiety. Her bed was the
bare earth.
After seven months did the blessed one's burns heal. Then he thought, "If I do
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Saint Martinian in prayer. Menologion of Basil II. 11th Century
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Martinian continued on his way, reaching a dock where he found the master of a ship, a God-fearing man. "Brother, do you know of any small, uninhabited island?" Martinian inquired.
"Why
do you ask?" the captain wondered.
"I
wish to flee this vain world and dwell in stillness," answered Martinian.
"Here I can find no refuge from the assaults of the adversary."
The
master said, "I do know of such a place. It is frightening: a barren rock
jutting out of the sea, beyond sight of the mainland."
"Such
an isle, completely inaccessible to women, would exactly suit my purpose!"
exclaimed the blessed one.
"How
would you obtain provisions?" asked the captain. "You will supply me
with food, and I shall pray for you.
Bring
me palm leaves, and I shall make baskets. You can sell them and furnish me with
rusks. Bring me water also, two or three times a year," the saint
requested.
The
captain understood that he was speaking with a spiritual man, and consented.
Martinian boarded the ship, which, sped by a stiff breeze, reached the islet
before nightfall.
"If
you wish, I shall bring wood also, to make a hut for you," suggested the
captain. This the blessed one refused, preferring to live in the open air,
exposed to heat by day and cold by night. Two or three times a year the captain
brought bread and water.
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| Saint Martinian with Saint Zoe and Saint Photina (All celebrated on the same Feast day February 13th) |
Meanwhile,
the foe was not sleeping, but devising an extremely dangerous temptation. One
day he stirred up a tempest and smashed a passenger-boat onto a rock. Everyone
on board drowned, except a single maiden who held to a plank and reached the
isle on which the blessed Martinian lived. Grasping for the crag, the virgin
cried, "Help me, servant of God! Stretch out your hand and save me from
the deep. Do not allow me to drown."
The
blessed one realized that he must help her, and groaned, ''Another demonic temptation!
Will you ever learn devil, that you cannot prevail?" Then he said to
himself, "Woe is me, a sinner! What am I to do? If I do not snatch her
out of the water, she will drown and I shall be responsible for her death. If I
rescue her, I must abandon my refuge. My plight is worse than it was on the
mainland. There I could flee, but here I cannot escape: I am surrounded by the
abyss." He stretched his hands to heaven and shouted in desperation,
"0 Lord, my soul is in Thy care; save me from perdition!"
With
this the saint pulled the young woman out of the water. Seeing that she was
very beautiful, he said, "Truly, straw and fire cannot exist together for
long. You and I cannot both stay here. You remain, and do not fear. I shall
leave you bread and water. Two months from now the captain who brings me
supplies will come. Explain what happened, and he will return you to the
mainland." Then Martinian traced the Cross over the waves and prayed,
"0 Lord Jesus Christ, Who rulest the sea and winds, look down and have
mercy on me. For Thy name's sake I am about to cast myself into the deep,
because it is better that I drown than that I burn with lust for a woman; but
do Thou preserve me, O Lord." To the virgin named Photina, he said: "Save yourself,
maiden. May God ever defend you from the foe's attacks."
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| Dolphins to the rescue of Saint Martinian. |
Brought
to the mainland by the dolphins, the blessed Martinian thanked the Almighty,
saying, "I praise Thee, O Lord God, for Thou hast manifested Thy wondrous
mercy to me, the unworthy. Be Thou ever with me, O Lover of mankind." Then
he asked himself, "What next? The devil gives me no peace, whether I am in
the mountains or the desert, or alone on an isle. What am I to do? What else,
other than to fulfill the Lord's saying in the Gospel: “When they persecute
you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, you shall
not go over all the cities of Israel. ''
The
blessed one spent the rest of his days wandering, having neither staff, nor
purse, nor bread, nor money, nor change of clothing, nor any other material possession.
Whenever he entered a city or village, he would inquire who ill it was worthy to
spend the night at that person's house, and be fed by him. If darkness fell
while he was in the wilderness or the fields, he would rest there briefly.
Wandering thus for two years, he passed through 164 towns and hamlets, and
finally reached Athens. God had revealed everything about Martinian to the
Bishop of that city. The blessed one, who was gravely ill, went directly to a
church, lay upon the floor and, sensing that his end was near, told those
present, "Call the Bishop at once."
The
Bishop treated Martinian with the utmost respect. "Some time ago God
indicated that He would show me His servant. Now He has fulfilled His promise.
When you take up your dwelling in the Kingdom of heaven, remember to pray for
my soul," he implored.
"Bless
me, father, and pray that I not be put to shame before the tribunal of the
righteous Judge," sighed Martinian. Then he lifted up his eyes to heaven
and whispered, "O Lord Jesus Christ, into Thy hands do I commit my
spirit." Finally, he crossed himself and said to the Bishop,
"Father, commend my soul to God." A smile appeared on the blessed
one's face. Rejoicing ineffably, his holy soul departed his much-suffering
flesh and found repose in the hands of God. Having finished the course well and
kept the faith, the venerable Martinian received the crown prepared for him in
the Kingdom of heaven. His sacred body was enshrined reverently in the church
by the Bishop. This occurred around the year 422, being about fifty years old. Saint
Martinian had a great veneration in the East, particularly at Constantinople,
in the famous church near Santa Sophia.
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| Saint Martinian Fresco Athos (Dionysiat). 1547. |
The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of Saint
Martinian on 13 February.
Lord Jesus Christ through the intercessions of
your servant Martinian
have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
Reference:
The Great
Collection of the Lives of the Saints. Saint Dimitrius of Rostov. VolumeVI:
February. 2003.