Saint Sophia of Ainos, June 4
Oυκ εμποδών σοι κόσμος ώφθη Σοφία,
Προς την τελειότητα αρετής φθάσαι.
The Byzantine Temple of God's Wisdom, in Ainos. Thrace |
Osia Sophia came from Ainos in Thrace and was the daughter of official and wealthy parents. She married and became the mother of six children, who had the sad accident of losing them all. So she found solace in her grief by protecting orphans and widows. He did constant almsgiving, prayers, fasting and everything that relieved his neighbor. At the end of her life she became a Nun and devoted her life to the worship of God. He passed away peacefully at the age of 53.
The short Life of Saint Sophia of Ainos is preserved in five codices of the 12th-14th century1 and has been published by H. Delehaye in a critical note of the Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae2. Although the Life of Saint Sophia does not provide chronological indications, it is possible to assume that Saint Sophia lived during the Middle Byzantine era, somewhere between the 9th and 12th centuries, so we also have the oldest surviving text of her Life.
Following the narration of her life, we can imagine the life of the saint in the flourishing mid-Byzantine Aeno, which extended approximately to the extent of the post-Byzantine city
.
The text of her Life is as follows:
"Wisdom of asceticism." This time I came from the city of Ainos, my parents
She was born a pious daughter and prominent in the country; she was married
in addition to these men and women mothers of children x. But in the middle of the
of living noises, he showed from works, as not everything present
stuck and in the ways of life, cut offs and confusion because of them
of godly acts of work pleasing to God. No, it was untrustworthy
of the churches, but I also saw overnight prayers and
vigils she taught; and children abandoned to death, orphans
mother, and widows' understanding and help, and the needy ones
I distributed the necessary qualifications to her. Her diet since then
ascetically dietele, water colored drink, the tear aennaon
of the eyes, the psalm, the blessing, the thanksgiving without ceasing
bearing on the mouth. Her humiliation is immeasurable even towards them
if possible, or to each of the attending priests
alms cheerful and honorable and almost beyond strength. Believe it or not
thought of self-deprivation or the apparent emptiness of repulsion and
He rejoices in giving rather than in receiving. For from a vessel of dream,
in spreading the penances of the excommunicated, both hands pumping and
I have provided for those who are in need, now a thing of bliss, fulfilled in the
I found a vessel and not the Andean one receiving relief. And so far
if to myself the miracle was hidden and unspoken,
full and the vessel was visible during the spring season. But Opinika
the majesties of God proclaiming their own mystery
revealed, nothing full was found but incomplete; this also of the brains
she sat down. Profasos, however, has since been engaged in the exercise
now she unworthily exaggerates herself, as the exaggeration of
exercise and come to the extremes of the body and not even breathe
power. So, I fought well and did not get in the way
under the hardships of life and at times four to thirty
I lived that way, as it is all my life, year after year
fifty to three and little more, and last
devoted to the Lord, she redeemed".
It is worth quoting the free rendering of the Life by Saint Nicodemus the Saint:
"On this day the memory of our holy mother Sophia, the ascetic
and surely you will live.
This saint was descended from Ainon, daughter of pious parents and
wandered about that place; and when I came of age I married
from her parents with a legal man, with whom she gave birth to
children. And even if it were in the midst of the world's cares and troubles,
though this he showed by works that the cares of the world and
turmoil is no obstacle at all to pleasing God
he wants, if only he works the Lord's commandments and treats himself
godly deeds and virtues
. Because this blessing was not absent from
the church of God, but also found in her house
awake all night and went down to prayer; and, because
After her children died, she became the mother of other orphaned children as well
great help to widows. But I divided her possessions among them
from then on she led her life in poverty with an ascetic diet; and food
he had dry bread, but plain water to drink; no tears
was missing from her eyes, the psalms of David were
unceasingly in her mouth; she did not weaken nor neglect her
prayer; her humility towards all men and even to them
He was immeasurable to those who were wronged and wronged, whose mercy
he burned all the poor people who came, it was hilarity and wealth.
Trisolbia thought that it was better to be deprived of it, than to
let the poor go out of her house empty; and more
He was happier when he gave than when he received
.Therefore a paradox followed in this miracle; that is, he had a
a vessel full of wine and divided to distribute it to them
poor people. Since they received it from that vessel with both
of his hand and gave it to the poor, so he saw a miraculous blessing,
because he always found the vessel full, without diminishing
completely
· and in that he hid the miracle from me and did not reveal it to
rather, the vessel was full when it was opened;
to proclaim the greatness of God revealed to a relative of hers the
miraculously, the vessel was no longer found full as before, but
It seemed empty and incomplete, and this made the blessed heart sad.
Hence, I took occasion and thought that because of it
her unworthiness was followed by the deprivation of God's gift
more she increased the exercise, so much so that her body dried up in
the akron and not even to breathe possible. In such a way
well-worn or oedematous and completely unobstructed in the
Virtue lived long from the cares and hardships of life
thirty-three and then. And lastly I got a haircut and a haircut
a nun to the Lord, she was ordained".
In conclusion, the Life of Saint Sophia of Ainos presents a succinct and timeless example of an amazing intensity and effort of a competitive ascetic spirit, combined with unimaginable determination and humility. These elements are what the people of every era have in particular need to overcome the various obstacles of life and clearly show the means by which our society should face the modern challenges
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