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January 16, 2013 + A Letter of Condolence to the Wife of Nectarius

by St. Basil the Great
From
The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, Vol. 13, p. 19

“...When you became a mother, and seeing your son gave thanks to God, you realized fully that you, a mortal mother, had given birth to a mortal child. What wonder, then, if this mortal son, subject to death, has died. But the untimeliness of his death grieves us. Yet, that this is not a timely death is not certain, since we ourselves do not know how to choose most advantageously for our souls nor how to determine the limits appointed for the life of men. Consider the whole universe in which you live, where all things visible are mortal, and all are subject to annihilation. Look up toward the heavens which also will some day be destroyed. At the sun not even it will remain. The stars, each and every one; living creatures on land and in the sea; the beauties of earth; the earth itself all are perishable, all in a short time will have ceased to exist. Let this thought be a consolation in your misfortune. Do not measure your suffering in itself alone, for in this way it will appear unbearable to you, but compare it with all human happenings, and therein you will find consolation. Above all, I have this to say most forcibly: 'Have consideration for your husband; be a comfort one to the other; do not make the affliction harder for him to bear by wearing yourself out with grief.' On the whole, I do not think that words alone suffice for consolation, but I believe that there is need of prayer under the present circumstances. Therefore, I pray the Lord Himself, by touching your heart with His ineffable power, to enlighten your soul through the good use of reason, so that you may have from within yourself the sources of consolation.”

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Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All-Glorious Apostle Peter

Troparion - Tone 4

You came to us without leaving Rome through the precious chains that you wore. First-enthroned of the apostles, we bow down to them in faith and pray: "Through your prayers to God grant us great mercy."

Kontakion - Tone 2

Christ the Rock radiantly glorifies the Rock of Faith, the first-enthroned of the disciples; He calls us to honor the miracles wrought through Peter's chains, so that He may grant us forgiveness of our sins.