From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
    – Proverbs 15:1 –    
      
   A gentle answer turns away wrath,   
   but a harsh word stirs up anger.   
   ========================   
   Have you ever tried to argue in a whisper? It is equally hard to argue   
   with someone who insists on answering gently. On the other hand, a   
   rising voice and harsh words almost always trigger an angry response.   
   To turn away wrath and seek peace, choose gentle words.   
      
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   August 28th – St. Alexander of Constantinople   
      
   St. Alexander was an archpastor (rural bishop) in the time of the most   
   holy Mitrofan, the first Patriarch of Constantinople. [ruled as   
   Patriarch from 315 to 325] This Alexander was richly adorned with all   
   manner of good works. When the First Ecumenical Council was called in   
   Nicea, Alexander was sent to the Council as a zealous champion of   
   piety, for Patriarch Mitrofan was unable to attend the Council by   
   reason of his great age and bodily infirmities. Acting as the   
   Patriarch's representative, Alexander zealously defended the Orthodox   
   Faith against the impious Anus (Arius). When the Council had finished   
   its work, and Alexander was already on his way back to Constantinople,   
   an angel of the Lord appeared to blessed Mitrofan and said:   
      
   "In ten days shalt thou receive a crown from God. Let thy servant   
   Alexander ascend the Patriarchal throne after thee..."   
      
   The righteous Emperor Constantine, together with many fathers of the   
   Church, came to the most holy Patriarch Mitrofan who was already on   
   his death-bed. When asked whom he blessed to receive the Patriarchal   
   throne after him, Mitrofan answered:   
      
   "The Lord has revealed to me that my servant Alexander, truly worthy   
   to be chosen and worthy of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, shall have the   
   throne after me."   
      
   As Patriarch of Constantinople, Alexander shepherded Christ's rational   
   flock with diligence, driving off the wolves-heretics and pagan   
   Hellenes, for it was not only against the Arians, but also against the   
   pagan philosophers that Alexander had to wage a great struggle   
      
   Once certain of' the pagan philosophers were emboldened to persuade   
   the Emperor that in rejecting the ancient faith of his fathers, and   
   also Roman and Greek laws, he had taken on some new faith and new laws   
   which, they claimed, had led to the decline of the Empire. The   
   philosophers received the Emperor's consent to enter into a debate on   
   faith with Bishop Alexander. Although not learned in pagan philosophy,   
   God's luminary Alexander was filled with the Holy Spirit and he did   
   not shrink from the debate.   
      
   When the philosophers had gathered in great number, they chose from   
   among themselves one whom they considered to be the wisest. The latter   
   was presented to the holy one while the rest prepared to listen   
   attentively. Beginning the debate, the most holy Patriarch Alexander   
   said to the philosopher:   
      
   "In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ , I command you to be silent!"   
      
   Immediately the philosopher lost his tongue and became dumb, so that   
   he could not utter a single word.   
      
   All the assembled philosophers became frightened and ashamed; some of   
   them fled in disgrace, while others came to believe in Christ. The   
   very philosopher who had lost the gift of speech, let it be known   
   through signs that he acknowledged his error and confessed the   
   Christian faith to be the true one. He fell at the feet of the holy   
   one and immediately his tongue was loosened and he began glorifying   
   our Lord Jesus Christ for everyone to hear. Afterwards he was baptized   
   together with other friends of his. The Emperor and all the faithful   
   rejoiced at this event, and all glorified God Who had given such   
   miraculous power to His saint.   
      
   Upon another occasion St; Alexander vanquished the impious Arius with   
   his prayer. It happened that a few years after the First Ecumenical   
   Council, the heretic Arius was called to Constantinople. Here he   
   cunningly deceived the pious Emperor Constantine in the following   
   manner: Constantine asked Arius whether he believed as the Holy   
   Fathers of the Nicean Council had decreed. Having concealed on his   
   breast a document on which he had written his own false creed, Anus   
   (Arius) struck himself on the breast and declared: "This is what I   
   believe!"   
      
   Thus, to all appearances the heretic ostensibly expressed his   
   agreement with the doctrine affirmed at Nicaea. Inwardly, however, he   
   believed that which he had written with his own hand and which was   
   concealed on his breast. And the deceiver swore before the Emperor,   
   saying this is what he believed. Not suspecting such wickedness, the   
   Emperor believed Arius' words and sent him to the holy Patriarch   
   Alexander, directing him to receive Arius into communion with the   
   Church as an Orthodox Christian. At the same time a certain Sunday   
   was designated on which Arius was to be brought into the cathedral to   
   be joined together with the faithful. St. Alexander, however, refused   
   to receive Arius because he was the founder of a heresy.   
      
   Meanwhile, Saturday came and Sunday was approaching. On Saturday   
   night, the archpastor of God gave himself over to prayer before the   
   altar. With tears he prayed to God to take the very soul from his body   
   so that he would not see the day wherein Arius would be restored to   
   the Church and to the partaking of the Holy Mysteries; or else, having   
   pity on His Church, to strike Arius from the midst of the living. St.   
   Alexander spent the whole night in prayer. Morning came and the time   
   for Liturgy drew nigh. Arius emerged from the royal palace with great   
   pride and directed his steps toward the cathedral; he was surrounded   
   by imperial officials who were in a agreement with his heresy and by a   
   multitude of men-at-arms.   
      
   When Arius approached the place which is called "the market-place of   
   Constantine," (here stood a marble column surmounted by a statue of   
   the Emperor), his stricken conscience began to trouble him and he was   
   seized with fear. Because of this fear, he felt an urgency to satisfy   
   a bodily need and began to look for some hidden place. Not far was   
   just such a place for public use. Entering therein, Arius was suddenly   
   stricken with an acute internal disorder. As with Judas, the belly of   
   the wicked one burst open and his insides spilled forth.  In this   
   horrible way the heretic perished.   
      
   Those who were standing nearby and waiting for Arius to come out,   
   seeing that he did not come out after a long interval, themselves went   
   in to get him and found him lying dead in the midst of filth and   
   blood. Immediately the news spread throughout the city of the terrible   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)