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Today, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the faithful celebrate the day dedicated to Saint Gregory the Wonder Worker.
Saint Gregory the Wonder Worker, also known as Gregory of Neocaesarea, lived from 213 to 270. He was an Orthodox saint, church teacher, and the first Bishop of Neocaesarea Pontius (Asia Minor), as well as the founder of the church in Cappadocia.
He was born in Neocaesarea around the year 213 into a respectable pagan family. His birth name was Theodore, and after being baptized he adopted the name Gregory. In his hometown he studied law and rhetoric. In Caesarea, Palestine, he met Origen. Hearing his lectures at the famous Alexandrian school, he was baptized and stayed to listen to him for another five years (233-238).
Before leaving school, he gave his famous eulogy to Origen. A few years later, Gregory was enthroned as Bishop of Neocaesarea. In the episcopal service, he distinguished himself as a strong person, with great abilities to organize the life of the church, and he was also a great ascetic and miracle worker. His life was written by Saint Gregory of Nyssa.
He is also known for his teaching on the Holy Trinity, which was later used by the Holy Fathers of the Church: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nisa, and was later studied and confirmed by the First Ecumenical Council (325) .
When the persecution of Christians began under the emperor Decius Trajan (249-251), Saint Gregory led his believers to a distant mountain. However, a pagan reported them to the pursuers and the soldiers surrounded the mountain. After giving instructions to his deacon, the saint went to an open place, raised his hands to heaven, and began to pray to God.
The soldiers searched the mountain several times, passing by the Christians, without seeing them, so they finally gave up the search and left. Upon returning to the city, they said that there was no one on the mountain and that only two trees were facing each other. The pagan who betrayed the hiding place of the Christians was first surprised, and then, believing in Christ, he himself converted to Christianity.
After the end of the persecutions, Saint Gregory returned to Neocaesarea. It established the days of celebration of the martyrs who suffered for Christ. At that time, the false teachings of Paul of Samosata, the patriarch of Antioch, began to spread. That heresy wrongly taught about the essence of the Holy Trinity and the essence of God the Father. She was condemned in the local council of Antioquia (265), where Saint Gregory also participated. He died in old age, in the time of the Emperor Aurelian.
Popular beliefs and customs
Many miracles are attributed to Saint Gregory, which is why people called him the Miracle Worker. According to beliefs, he commanded evil spirits, mountains and waters, healed torments and diseases, was invisible to those who persecuted him, could predict events and read human thoughts. That is why the custom has been maintained to this day, according to which everyone who prays to Saint Gregory the Wonderworker in church and lights a candle has the right to imagine a wish. If the prayer was sincere and deep, this saint will answer it and fulfill the wish.
It is believed that the infidel, and on this day reads the holy writings of Gregory, will become a believer. He who believes in Gregory, according to tradition, will be eternally healthy and protected from evildoers.
(Kurir.rs)
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