Saint Nonna, the mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian, was the daughter of the Christians Filtat and Gorgonia (the aunt of Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium). Her parents raised her in Christian piety. Saint Nonna was married to Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner in the Arianzin and Nazianzine districts. The marriage was profitable according to earthly calculations, but difficult for the pious soul of Nonna: Gregory of Arianz was a pagan, a follower of the sect of the leaders (ipsistarii), honored the supreme god and observed some Jewish rituals; at the same time he worshiped fire.

The pious Nonna prayed a lot to turn her husband to the holy truth. St. Gregory the Theologian, the son of Saint Nonna, wrote about this in the following way: “She could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be united with God, and the other part of herself would remain alienated from God. On the contrary, she wanted a spiritual union to join the carnal union. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her husband. Through the prayers of Saint Nonna, Gregory had a vision in a dream. “My father imagined,” wrote St. Gregory, “as if he (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged for it many times) sang the following verse of David: rejoice over those who said to me: let’s go to the house of the Lord (Ps. 71 , 1). And the singing is unprecedented, and along with the song comes desire! When the one who fulfilled the desire heard about this, then, using the time, she explains the vision in the most kind way, in which she was absolutely right. Gregory came to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, where he opened his appeal to God. He was ordained a presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself entirely to the Church. Simultaneously with his consecration as a bishop, his wife Saint Nonna was consecrated a deaconess. With the same zeal as she raised her children, Saint Nonna began to do charity work.

“She knew,” says St. Gregory the Theologian, “one true nobility—to be pious and to know where we came from and where we would go; one sure and inalienable wealth is to spend your property for God and for the poor, especially for impoverished relatives.

If some of the wives are distinguished by frugality, and others by piety, for it is difficult to combine both qualities, then she excelled all in both, and in each she reached the height of perfection, and she knew how to combine both in one herself. One did not suffer damage from the other, but one was mutually supported by the other. What time and place of prayer was hidden from her? This was her first thought every day. It would be better to say, who, approaching prayer, had so much hope to receive what he asked? But the most amazing thing is that, although she was greatly struck by sorrows, even strangers, she never indulged in carnal weeping until a mournful voice erupted before thanksgiving, or a tear fell on the eyelids, mysteriously sealed, or at the onset of a bright holiday remained she wears sad clothes, although many sorrows have repeatedly befallen her. For the God-loving soul tends to subordinate everything human to the Divine. I will keep silent about matters even more secret, to which God alone is a witness and which only the faithful slaves, who were her confidants, knew about.

The last years brought Saint Nonna much sorrow. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarea, died, a young man who showed brilliant promises; V next year daughter died. The courageous old woman endured these losses with humility to the will of God.

In the year 370, Bishop Gregory, then already a deep elder, participated in the consecration of St. Basil the Great as Bishop of Caesarea. Saint Nonna, who was a little younger than her husband, was also ready to pass into another life, but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” wrote her son, “was always strong and courageous, throughout her life she did not feel ailments; but sickness befalls her. Of the many sufferings, not to multiply the words, the least heaviest is the aversion to food, which lasted for many days and is not cured by any medicine. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as of old to Israel; it does not open a stone to pour water on thirsty people; does not feed through the ravens, like Elijah; not through the admired prophet satiates, as once Daniel, languishing in a ditch. But in what way? It seemed to her that I, especially beloved by her (even in a dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared to her at night with a basket with the whitest bread, then, saying a prayer over them and imprinting them with the sign of the cross, according to the introduced with us As usual, I give her a taste, and thereby restore and strengthen her strength. And this night vision was something really significant for her, because from that time on she came to her senses and became not hopeless. And what happened to her was revealed in a clear and obvious way. When, at the onset of day, I went up to her early in the morning, the first time I saw her in her best former position; then he began, as usual, to ask: how did you spend the night and what did she need? She, without any hesitation, said eloquently: “You yourself, dear son, nourished me and then you ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!” At the same time, the servants showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but accepted her words with indifference and did not discourage her by the discovery of the truth.

At the beginning of 374, the hundred-year-old elder bishop reposed. Saint Nonna, who hardly left the church after that, soon after his death died at prayer in the church on August 5, 374.

Orthodox calendar

Sermon

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters, as we experience the events of this week, you and I can plunge into that state of mind that implies the need for a Christian to partake, at least to a small extent, of an event that is related to the feat of God for the sake of people.

The Path of Love presupposes a person’s readiness to learn the most complex art, the skill in which the Lord Himself showed when He came to earth, reduced Himself to a human body, put on flesh and then gave it to be crucified for human sins, showing an example of great humility. In this self-humiliation of the Lord, we see before us the amazing depth of His mercy and His readiness to show how many ways there are to the Heavenly Kingdom.

With His most pure hands He washes the feet of His disciples, people of low profession, His followers, called to the apostolic ministry. Inviting them with Himself to a special feast, to a meal where the first Eucharist is celebrated, He, lamenting, but loving the disciple who betrays Him, wishes to save him until the last moment, but the soul that has departed from God returns with difficulty to its Savior. Here is the tragedy of a student who, in speed, is an example of despair, leading to suicide. Next, we see the example of the apostle Peter, who claims that he will not deny, but then does just that. And each of us in his life, unfortunately, repeats his path, saying one thing with his mouth, and showing another with deeds. Then a prayer sounds in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Lord three times calls the disciples to joint prayer, but the apostles are asleep… And the Savior asks the Father to grant Him the mercy that He must bear.

It must be understood that we are only partially revealed to what we can accommodate, only a part of that pain and suffering. It is about the dialogue of the Lord within Himself. After all, the Savior addresses God the Father, Who is in Him. This is one of the deepest mysteries of theology when it comes to the Holy Trinity. But at the same time, these words show us an example of what we must do in situations of special stress and trials: we must call on God for help, adding at the same time: “Thy will be done!”.

Then we hear about the betrayal that the disciple commits by kissing Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. What was it for? It was a sign. The fact is that after Communion the apostles were transformed and became so similar to the Savior that it was difficult to determine who among these people was their Teacher. The apostle Judas points to Jesus, and He is arrested. And here mercy is shown when the Lord asks to remove the knife, saying that the one who came with a knife or a sword will perish. Both the external and the internal component of the life of a Christian are indicated here, suggesting prayer, humility and readiness to sacrifice oneself as weapons. An amazing door opens before us, difficult to pass, but the only one possible for the salvation of our soul.

Let's try, dear brothers and sisters, to be attentive to words as much as it is possible in our life. Let us learn the art of following Christ in the willingness to start small, in the determination to show our efforts in bearing our cross. Amen!

Archpriest Andrey Alekseev

“The most patient and courageous of women”... “A woman who has reached the pinnacle of perfection”... “Pious and God-wise”... “A generous-loving wife”... St. Gregory the Theologian saw his mother like this.

Hello! Writer Olga Klyukina is with you with the program “Types: Saints in Literature”.

Today we are talking aboutRighteous Nonna and the works of St. Gregory the Theologian.

In the works of St. Gregory the Theologian, who is called the Father of the Church for his outstanding services, there are many enthusiastic and warmest words about his mother, St. Nonna.

She was married to a wealthy owner of land around the cities of AriAnz and Nazianz in Asia Minor - on the territory of modern Turkey. Nonna, raised by Christian parents, was very worried that her husband did not share her faith, and tried with all her might to turn him to the truth.

St. Gregory the Theologian compares the patience and perseverance of his mother with drops of water, which, as you know, even sharpen a stone.

GREGORY THE BOGOSLOV:

Day and night she fell to God, fasting and with many tears asked Him to grant salvation to her husband. And at the same time, she tirelessly acted on her husband in various ways: reproaches, convictions, services, and most of all with her life and fiery zeal for piety.

The woman's prayers were answered. In 325, her husband turned to the participants of the First Ecumenical Council with a request for baptism. He became a Christian and later a clergyman.

For a long time, Nonna was childless and made a vow in the event of the birth of a child to dedicate it to God. In a dream, she had a vision of an unborn child and his name was called: Gregory. From the writings of Gregory the Theologian, we know many details about the life and character of the saint's mother. Silent, quiet, but unbending when it comes to faith, kind - and at the same time restrained in the manifestations of her feelings.

There was a lot of sadness in the life of Saint Nonna. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarius, died unexpectedly, a young man who showed brilliant promises; and the following year, the daughter of Gorgonia passed away. But the mother of Gregory the Theologian did not fall into despondency, but only redoubled her deeds of prayer.

GREGORY THE BOGOSLOV:

An empty word did not come out of her mouth, and pampered laughter did not play on her cheeks. In sacred assemblies and places, her voice was never heard. She honored the shrine with silence...

Nonna's husband was consecrated Bishop of Nazianzus (from the name of the area where they lived), and she became a deaconess - her husband's faithful assistant in church affairs. In the first centuries of Christianity, deaconesses helped priests prepare women and children for Baptism, distributed alms for widows, orphans, and prisoners.

Saint Gregory the Theologian writes admiringly about the tireless labors of his mother in the field of charity.

GREGORY THE BOGOSLOV:

Who was the best intercessor for widows and orphans? Who alleviated the plight of the weeping? If they had allowed her to draw from the Atlantic or any other vast sea, even that would have been lacking. So great was her desire to give alms. All the property that we had, and that was added later, she considered meager for her desire to give in favor of the poor ...

Bishop Gregory of Nazianzus reposed in 374, at almost a hundred years of age. After that, Saint Nonna hardly left the church. She died in the temple, with a prayer on her lips.

In his creations, St. Gregory the Theologian often refers to the memory of his mother, hoping, as he writes, that her example will encourage other people to live in Christ.

Olga Klyukina was with you. Until we meet again in the author's program "Types: Saints in Literature".

We will try to answer the question in detail: a prayer to the righteous nonna on the site: the site is for our esteemed readers.

August 17th 2010 –

Saint Nonna, the mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian, was the daughter of the Christians Filtates and Gorgonia, the aunt of Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (Comm. 23 November). Her parents raised her in Christian piety. Saint Nonna was married to Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner in the Arianzin and Nazianzine districts. The marriage was profitable according to earthly calculations, but difficult for the pious soul of Nonna.

Gregory of Arianz was a pagan, a follower of the sect of the leaders (ipsistarii), honored the supreme god and observed some Jewish rites; at the same time he worshiped the fire. The pious Nonna prayed a lot to turn her husband to the holy truth. The son of Saint Nonna, St. Gregory the Theologian, wrote about this in the following way: “She could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be united with God, and the other part of herself would remain alienated from God. On the contrary, she wanted a spiritual union to join the carnal union. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her husband. Through the prayers of Saint Nonna, Gregory had a vision in a dream. “My father imagined,” wrote St. Gregory, “as if he (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged for it many times) sang the following verse of David: rejoice over those who said to me: let’s go to the house of the Lord (Ps. 71 , 1). And the singing is unprecedented, and along with the song comes desire! When the one who fulfilled the desire heard about this, then, using the time, she explains the vision in the most kind way, in which she was absolutely right. Gregory came to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, where he opened his appeal to God. He was ordained a presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself entirely to the Church. Simultaneously with his consecration as a bishop, his wife Saint Nonna was consecrated a deaconess. With the same zeal as she raised her children, Saint Nonna began to do charity work.

In the year 370, Bishop Gregory, then already a deep elder, participated in the consecration of St. Basil the Great as Bishop of Caesarea. Saint Nonna, who was a little younger than her husband, was also ready to pass into another life, but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” wrote her son, “was always strong and courageous, she did not feel ailments all her life; but sickness befalls her. Of the many sufferings, not to multiply the words, the least heaviest is the aversion to food, which lasted for many days and is incurable by no medicine. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as of old to Israel; it does not open a stone to pour water on thirsty people; does not feed through the ravens, like Elijah; not through the admired prophet satiates, as once Daniel, languishing in a ditch. But in what way? It seemed to her that I, especially beloved by her (even in a dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared to her at night with a basket with the whitest bread, then, saying a prayer over them and imprinting them with the sign of the cross, according to the introduced with us As usual, I give her a taste, and thereby restore and strengthen her strength. And this night vision was something really significant for her, because from that time on she came to her senses and became not hopeless. And what happened to her was revealed in a clear and obvious way. When, at the onset of day, I went up to her early in the morning, the first time I saw her in her best former position; then he began, as usual, to ask: how did you spend the night and what did she need? She did not hesitate at all and said eloquently: “You yourself, dear son, nourished me and then you ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!” At the same time, the maids showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but accepted her words indifferently and did not discourage her with the discovery of the truth.

On August 18, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the righteous Nonna - a prayer to the saint helps build family happiness

Prayer to the righteous Nonna helps women build family happiness: successfully marry, give birth, raise good children.

Saint Nonna was born at the end of the third century into a Christian family. She married Gregory, the mayor and wealthy owner of land in the Cappadocian region of Asia Minor. Her husband was at first a pagan and worshiped fire.

Nonna had a daughter Gorgonia and sons Gregory and Caesarea. She brought them up in a Christian spirit and fervently prayed that her husband would turn to the truth. The Lord heard her prayers: her husband began to believe in Christ, was baptized and dedicated himself to the Church. About 325 he became presbyter and then bishop of the city of Nazianza in Cappadocia. Then the righteous Nonna was ordained a deaconess, after which she diligently engaged in charity work.

In 359, Nonna's son, Gregory, having completed his studies, returned to his homeland and was baptized by his father. Two years later, the father ordained young Gregory to the priesthood. A few years later, Gregory became Patriarch of Constantinople.

He was one of the most insightful and profound spiritual writers, for which he received the honorary title of Theologian. Toward the end of her life, Saint Nonna worked hard for the Church. Her righteous death came in 374.

The piety of Saint Nonna can be judged by the fact that five people from her family, including her, are canonized by the Church as saints.

Project " Orthodox holidays”is implemented with the assistance of the Kyiv Theological Academy and the Seminary. When using the material reference to the source is required.

Prayer to the righteous nonna

An Orthodox icon is a window into the spiritual world.

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• Nonna the Holy Righteous. Icon on canvas.

The icon of the Holy Righteous Nonna is a personalized icon of women named Nonna. The day of memory of the holy righteous Nonna, mother of Gregory the Theologian, the Orthodox Church celebrates on August 5/18.

Saint Nonna is the mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian. Prayer to the righteous Nonna helps women build family happiness: successfully marry, give birth, raise good children. For those who bear the name of St. Nonna, the icon and prayer will help to recover from illnesses, improve their financial condition in order to be able to help their relatives and friends.

The icon of the Holy Righteous Nonna will protect from loneliness and need. Prayer addressed to the saint will protect from illness and give long years of life.

In the Holy Land in 289, a girl was born in a Christian family, whom her parents, Filtat and Gorgonia, named Nonna. Her mother was related to St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium. The girl was brought up in Christian piety. When Nonna grew up, she was married to a very rich man from the city of Nazianz, who owned lands in two districts of the country.

Gregory of Arianz, that was the name of Nonna's husband, fell in love with his young wife with all his heart. She reciprocated, only one thing bothered her, Gregory was a pagan. He was a member of the Hypsistarii sect, observed Jewish rituals, honored the supreme god, and at the same time worshiped fire. Nonna could only pray and ask the Lord to grant salvation to her husband.

She could not give birth for a long time. In her prayers, Nonna asked the Lord to grant her a child, promising to dedicate it to God. The long-awaited son was born. He was named Gregory, then he became known to the whole world under the name Gregory the Theologian. The author of Christian texts, who became one of the Fathers of the Church, wrote about his mother: “My mother, having inherited from the fathers the charitable Faith, and placed this golden chain on her children. In the form of a woman, bearing a courageous heart, she only touches the earth and takes care of the world, so that everything, and even the very life of this place, can be transmuted into the life of heaven.

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Prayer to the righteous nonna

Day of Remembrance: August 5

Nonna mother of Gregory the Theologian

Saint Nonna, mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian († January 25, 389), was the daughter of the Christians Filtatus and Gorgonia, the aunt of Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (Comm. 23 November). Her parents raised her in Christian piety. Saint Nonna was married to Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner in the Arianzin and Nazianzine districts. The marriage was profitable according to earthly calculations, but difficult for the pious soul of Nonna. Gregory of Arianz was a pagan, a follower of the sect of the leaders (ipsistarii), honored the supreme god and observed some Jewish rites; at the same time he worshiped the fire. The pious Nonna prayed a lot to turn her husband to the holy truth. The son of Saint Nonna, St. Gregory the Theologian, wrote about this in the following way: “She could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be united with God, and the other part of herself would remain alienated from God. On the contrary, she wanted a spiritual union to join the carnal union. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her husband. Through the prayers of Saint Nonna, Gregory had a vision in a dream. “My father imagined,” wrote St. Gregory, “as if he (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged for it many times) sang the following verse of David: rejoice over those who said to me: let’s go to the house of the Lord (Ps. 71 , 1). And the singing is unprecedented, and along with the song comes desire! When the one who fulfilled the desire heard about this, then, using the time, she explains the vision in the most kind way, in which she was absolutely right. Gregory came to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, where he opened his appeal to God. He was ordained a presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself entirely to the Church. Simultaneously with his consecration as a bishop, his wife Saint Nonna was consecrated a deaconess. With the same zeal as she raised her children, Saint Nonna began to do charity work.

“She knew,” says St. Gregory the Theologian, “one true nobility—to be pious and to know where we came from and where we would go; one sure and inalienable wealth is to spend your property for God and for the poor, especially for impoverished relatives.

If some of the wives are distinguished by frugality, and others by piety, for it is difficult to combine both qualities, then she excelled all in both, and in each she reached the height of perfection, and she knew how to combine both in one herself. One did not suffer damage from the other, but one was mutually supported by the other. What time and place of prayer was hidden from her? This was her first thought every day. It would be better to say, who, approaching prayer, had so much hope to receive what he asked? But the most amazing thing is that, although she was greatly struck by sorrows, even strangers, she never indulged in carnal weeping until a mournful voice erupted before thanksgiving, or a tear fell on the eyelids, mysteriously sealed, or at the onset of a bright holiday remained she wears sad clothes, although many sorrows have repeatedly befallen her. For the God-loving soul tends to subordinate everything human to the Divine. I will keep silent about matters even more secret, to which God alone is a witness and which only the faithful slaves, who were her confidants, knew about.

The last years brought Saint Nonna much sorrow. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarea, died, a young man who showed brilliant promises; daughter died the following year. The courageous old woman endured these losses with humility to the will of God.

In the year 370, Bishop Gregory, then already a deep elder, participated in the consecration of St. Basil the Great as Bishop of Caesarea. Saint Nonna, who was a little younger than her husband, was also ready to pass into another life, but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” wrote her son, “was always strong and courageous, she did not feel ailments all her life; but sickness befalls her. Of the many sufferings, not to multiply the words, the least heaviest is the aversion to food, which lasted for many days and is incurable by no medicine. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as of old to Israel; it does not open a stone to pour water on thirsty people; does not feed through the ravens, like Elijah; not through the admired prophet satiates, as once Daniel, languishing in a ditch. But in what way? It seemed to her that I, especially beloved by her (even in a dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared to her at night with a basket with the whitest bread, then, saying a prayer over them and imprinting them with the sign of the cross, according to the introduced with us As usual, I give her a taste, and thereby restore and strengthen her strength. And this night vision was something really significant for her, because from that time on she came to her senses and became not hopeless. And what happened to her was revealed in a clear and obvious way. When, at the onset of day, I went up to her early in the morning, the first time I saw her in her best former position; then he began, as usual, to ask: how did you spend the night and what did she need? She did not hesitate at all and said eloquently: “You yourself, dear son, nourished me and then you ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!” At the same time, the servants showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but accepted her words with indifference and did not discourage her by the discovery of the truth.

At the beginning of 374, the hundred-year-old elder bishop reposed. Saint Nonna, who hardly left the church after that, soon after his death died at prayer in the church on August 5, 374.

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18 August. Righteous Nonna, mother of St. Gregory the Theologian

On this day, Christians who are named in honor of the saints make their name days: Nonna, Evdokia, Daria, Mary, John.

May the peace and blessings of God be with you, dear birthday people. Joy to you and peace in the Holy Spirit.

Whenever you see a holy woman in the holy calendar, she is given preference, because in churches there are much more women than men, and in the holy calendar there are much more men than women. We will not analyze the reasons for this, but the female path to holiness is always worthy of special attention, so let's listen to today's life story of St. Nonna, the mother of St. Gregory the Theologian.

Saint Nonna was the daughter of the Christians Filtas and Gorgonia, the aunt of St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium. Her parents raised her in Christian piety. She was married to Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner in the Arianzin and Nazianza districts. The marriage was profitable according to earthly calculations, but difficult for the pious soul of Nonna. Gregory of Arianz was a pagan, a follower of the supreme sect, honored the supreme god and observed some Jewish rites; at the same time he worshiped fire. The pious Nonna prayed a lot to turn her husband to the holy truth. St. Gregory the Theologian, the son of Saint Nonna, wrote about this in the following way: “She could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be united with God, and the other part of herself would remain alienated from God. On the contrary, she wanted a spiritual union to join the carnal union. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her husband.

Here is an indication for you, dear wives and mothers: children and even husbands are brought up with many tears, their path through life is straightened. Children are brought up with tears, but how many mothers cry before God for their children? Not from resentment, not from what did not work out, not from sadness, but sincerely wishing them repentance, that is, straightening their lives.

Through the prayers of Saint Nonna, Gregory had a vision in a dream. “My father imagined,” wrote St. Gregory, “as if he (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged for it many times) sang the following verse of David: rejoice over those who said to me: let’s go to the house of the Lord (Ps. 71 , 1). And the singing is unprecedented, and along with the song comes desire! When the one who fulfilled the desire heard about this, then, using the time, she explains the vision in the most kind way, in which she was absolutely right. Gregory came to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, where he opened his appeal to God. He was ordained a presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself entirely to the Church. Simultaneously with his consecration as a bishop, his wife Saint Nonna was consecrated a deaconess. With the same zeal as she raised her children, Saint Nonna began to do charity work.

“She knew,” says St. Gregory the Theologian, “one true nobility—to be pious and to know where we came from and where we would go; one sure and inalienable wealth is to spend your property for God and for the poor, especially for impoverished relatives. If some of the wives are distinguished by frugality, and others by piety, for it is difficult to combine both qualities, then she excelled all in both, and in each she reached the height of perfection, and she knew how to combine both in one herself. One did not suffer damage from the other, but one was mutually supported by the other. What time and place of prayer was hidden from her? This was her first thought every day. It would be better to say, who, approaching prayer, had so much hope to receive what he asked? But the most amazing thing is that, although she was greatly struck by sorrows, even strangers, she never indulged in carnal weeping until a mournful voice erupted before thanksgiving, or a tear fell on the eyelids, mysteriously sealed, or at the onset of a bright holiday remained she wears sad clothes, although many sorrows have repeatedly befallen her. For the God-loving soul tends to subordinate everything human to the Divine.

Such a spiritual law: it is natural for a God-loving soul to subordinate everything human to God, according to the word of the apostle: "...whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." That is, our whole life can be worship even in elementary everyday affairs. “I will keep silent about matters even more intimate, to which God alone is a witness and about which only the faithful slave women who were her confidants knew,” - this is how St. Gregory’s quote ends.

The last years brought Saint Nonna much sorrow. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarea, died, a young man who showed brilliant promises; daughter died the following year. The courageous old woman endured these losses with humility to the will of God. In the year 370, Bishop Gregory, then already a deep elder, participated in the consecration of St. Basil the Great as Bishop of Caesarea. Saint Nonna, who was a little younger than her husband, was also ready to pass into another life, but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” wrote her son, “was always strong and courageous, throughout her life she did not feel ailments; but sickness befalls her. Of the many sufferings, not to multiply the words, the least heaviest is the aversion to food, which lasted for many days and is incurable by no medicine. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as of old to Israel; it does not open a stone to pour water on thirsty people; does not feed through the ravens, like Elijah; not through the admired prophet satiates, as once Daniel, languishing in a ditch. But in what way? It seemed to her that I, especially beloved by her (even in a dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared to her at night with a basket with the whitest bread, then, saying a prayer over them and imprinting them with the sign of the cross, according to the introduced with us As usual, I give her a taste, and thereby restore and strengthen her strength. And this night vision was something really significant for her, because from that time on she came to her senses and became not hopeless. And what happened to her was revealed in a clear and obvious way. When, at the onset of day, I went up to her early in the morning, the first time I saw her in her best former position; then he began, as usual, to ask: how did you spend the night and what did she need? She did not hesitate at all and said eloquently: “You yourself, dear son, nourished me and then you ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!” At the same time, the servants showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but accepted her words with indifference and did not discourage her by the discovery of the truth.

At the beginning of 374, the hundred-year-old elder bishop reposed. Saint Nonna, who hardly left the church after that, soon after his death died at prayer in the church on August 5 (August 18 according to the new style), 374.

The child of mother's tears will not die. Although why only maternal? And paternal, because fathers should in no way be left out. In the Holy Scriptures, we see that women also followed the Savior, like a Canaanite woman crying out after Him: “Lord, have mercy, my daughter is mad with evil!” - begging for the mercy of his daughter. But the fathers also asked: “Lord, have mercy on my son, he is raging in the new moon.” "Do you believe that I can do this?" says the Lord. “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!” exclaimed the father. Or the righteous Jairus, who asked for his dying daughter, asked in such a way that the Lord responded to his request, although, as the apostolic letter says: “How many widows were there in the days of the prophet Elijah, but he was not sent to anyone, only in Sarepta of Sidon, to the widow, whose son he once resurrected."

It is very important to understand that the Lord does not help everyone, but pays attention to some specific prayers, comes and performs a miracle. These are the prayers of faith: “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!”, prayers of humility: “Yes, Lord, and dogs eat from the meal of their masters, from the grains that fall from them. Yes, I am like a dog, but have mercy on my daughter.” Or like a centurion who asked not even for his relatives, which surprised the Savior very much: “My servant is sick, come and heal him.” “Very well, I will come,” the Lord replies. “No, Lord, I am not worthy that You enter my house, but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.” Mercy, compassion, such faith that one word is enough for a miracle to happen, and humility: “I am not worthy that You enter under my roof” - in the combination of these qualities of the soul, a person’s prayer pierces heaven and brings down God's help into our life.

Let us be strengthened by the example of the holy righteous Nonna, who, through prayer, repentance, and tears, wrested her beloved husband from the strong and tenacious demonic claws. Why demonic? Because the gods of the pagans are demons and all paganism is a veiled demonism. And when her husband was a practicing fire worshiper, that is, imbued with the spirit of malice, the wife’s prayer, her piety and faith, humility and mercy were able to save, and not only save him, but also lift him up, accompany him to the throne of holiness. We know St. Gregory of Nazianzus - this is the husband of St. Nonna, and the son - St. Gregory the Theologian. Through the prayers of the holy righteous Nonna, may the Lord strengthen all wives to resolutely follow her example and never give up, never lose heart, for everything is possible for a believer.

Help us all Lord!

Priest: Evgeny Popichenko

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Saint Nonna, mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian († January 25, 389), was the daughter of the Christians Filtatus and Gorgonia, the aunt of Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (Comm. 23 November). Her parents raised her in Christian piety. Saint Nonna was married to Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner in the Arianzin and Nazianzine districts. The marriage was profitable according to earthly calculations, but difficult for the pious soul of Nonna. Gregory of Arianz was a pagan, a follower of the sect of the leaders (ipsistarii), honored the supreme god and observed some Jewish rites; at the same time he worshiped the fire. The pious Nonna prayed a lot to turn her husband to the holy truth. The son of Saint Nonna, St. Gregory the Theologian, wrote about it this way: “She could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be in union with God, and the other part of herself would remain alienated from God. spiritual union also joined in. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears asked Him to grant salvation to her husband. Through the prayers of Saint Nonna, Gregory had a vision in a dream. “My father imagined,” wrote St. Gregory, “as if he (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged for it many times) sang the following verse of David: rejoice over those who said to me: let’s go to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 71 , 1). And the singing is unprecedented, and together with the song a desire appears! When the one who fulfilled the desire heard about this, then, using time, she explains the vision in the kindest way, in which she was absolutely right. Gregory came to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, where he opened his appeal to God. He was ordained a presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself entirely to the Church. Simultaneously with his consecration as a bishop, his wife Saint Nonna was consecrated a deaconess. With the same zeal as she raised her children, Saint Nonna began to do charity work.

"She knew," says St. Gregory the Theologian, "one true nobility - to be pious and to know where we came from and where we would go; one reliable and inalienable wealth - to spend her property for God and for the poor, especially for impoverished relatives.

If some of the wives are distinguished by frugality, and others by piety, for it is difficult to combine both qualities, then she excelled all in both, and in each she reached the height of perfection, and she knew how to combine both in one herself. One did not suffer damage from the other, but one was mutually supported by the other. What time and place of prayer was hidden from her? This was her first thought every day. It would be better to say, who, approaching prayer, had so much hope to receive what he asked? But the most amazing thing is that, although she was greatly struck by sorrows, even strangers, she never indulged in carnal weeping until a mournful voice erupted before thanksgiving, or a tear fell on the eyelids, mysteriously sealed, or at the onset of a bright holiday remained she wears sad clothes, although many sorrows have repeatedly befallen her. For the God-loving soul tends to subordinate everything human to the Divine. I will keep silent about matters even more secret, to which God alone is a witness and which only the faithful slaves, who were her confidants, knew about.

The last years brought Saint Nonna much sorrow. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarea, died, a young man who showed brilliant promises; daughter died the following year. The courageous old woman endured these losses with humility to the will of God.

In the year 370, Bishop Gregory, then already a deep elder, participated in the consecration of St. Basil the Great as Bishop of Caesarea. Saint Nonna, who was a little younger than her husband, was also ready to pass into another life, but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” wrote her son, “has always been strong and courageous, she has not felt ailments all her life; but she is afflicted with illness. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as of old to Israel; he does not open a stone to drain water for thirsty people; he does not feed through the ravens, like Elijah; he does not feed through the raptured prophet, as once Daniel, languishing in the pit. But in what way?She imagined that I, especially her beloved (even in a dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared to her at night with a basket with the whitest loaves, then, after saying a prayer over them and imprinting them with the sign of the cross ", according to our custom, I give her a taste, and thereby restore and strengthen her strength. And this night vision was something really significant for her, for from that time she came to herself and became not hopeless. And what happened to her was discovered in a clear and obvious way. When, at the onset of day, I went up to her early in the morning, the first time I saw her in her best former position; then he began, as usual, to ask: how did you spend the night and what did she need? She did not hesitate at all and said eloquently: "You yourself, dear son, fed me and then ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!" At the same time, the servants showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but accepted her words with indifference and did not discourage her by the discovery of the truth.

At the beginning of 374, the hundred-year-old elder bishop reposed. Saint Nonna, who hardly left the church after that, soon after his death died at prayer in the church on August 5, 374.

Memory Saint Nonna, mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian, takes place in the Orthodox Church on August 18 according to the new style.
From the life descriptions of many saints of God, we see how the piety of parents is reflected in the future of their children. Cases of canonization of different generations of the same family are not uncommon. Saint Nonna, who gave birth to the great lamp of the Church, herself grew up in a pious Christian family. life path the saint passed in the fourth century.
The parents of Saint Nonna gave their daughter in marriage to Gregory of Arianz, who had large land holdings. From a material point of view, the marriage was prosperous, but very difficult for a staunch Christian, since her husband was far from the faith of his wife: he combined Jewish and pagan rites in his mind and religious practice, was a fire worshiper. Saint Nonna for a long time offered up her prayers to the Lord so that Gregory of Arianz would change his worldview. Saint Gregory the Theologian shared his recollections of his mother's stories about how she labored in abstinence in eating food, nightly prayers and other ascetic labors, trusting in God's help in converting her husband. She felt that carnal union with a pagan alienated her from her beloved Lord. She shed many tears before she saw the result of her appeals.
One day, Nonna's husband dreamed of how he performed a prayer hymn from the Psalter, which says: "We rejoice over those who said to me: let us go to the house of the Lord" (Ps. 71, 1). Along with this singing, a desire to visit the temple of God arose in Gregory's soul. When Gregory told his wife about his dream, she said that the Lord was calling him to change his life and views. Since then, the soul of the former pagan turned to Christ. By the providence of God, when Gregory came to the city of Nicaea, where the First Ecumenical Council was taking place at that time, he announced his desire to be a Christian. Over time, he took holy orders, and later began to occupy the episcopal see in Nazianzus. Bishop Gregory devoted all his strength to the service of the Lord.
When Gregory assumed the episcopal rank, his wife Saint Nonna became a deaconess. With great zeal, she performed works of mercy, setting a good example for her children and other people.
Saint Gregory the Theologian recalled the virtues that his holy mother possessed. It combined both a thrifty attitude to material wealth and true Christian piety. She treated the upbringing of children with a sense of responsibility before God for the lives entrusted to her. The property that the saint disposed of was primarily spent on charity: helping needy relatives and other poor people. When the saint of God offered up her prayers to the Lord, she firmly hoped that her petition would be fulfilled.
The life of Saint Nonna shows an example of the meek enduring of sorrows, including the loss of close relatives. She knew how to sincerely thank God for everything that happened in her life. No matter how painful circumstances may occur on the days of church holidays, the righteous always had bright clothes on these days and a good mood.
Before her death, Saint Nonna suffered serious illness, being in bed rest, for some time she could not even eat, although for many years of her life she was distinguished by the strength of her bodily strength. Through the prayers of St. Gregory the Theologian, she lived for some more time. After the death of her husband, the saint of God was in the temple of God almost all the time, and rested while praying.

Troparion, tone 4:
God of our fathers, do right with us according to Your meekness, do not leave Your mercy from us, but rule our belly with their prayers in the world.

Kontakion, tone 8:
The apostle preaching, and the father of dogmas, imprinting one faith on the Church, even wearing a robe of truth, worn from above theology, corrects and glorifies the piety of the great sacrament.

Greatness:
We magnify you, holy righteous Nonno, and honor your holy memory, for you pray for us Christ our God.

Prayer:
Oh, the holy saint of God Nonno, labored a good feat on earth, received the crown of truth in heaven, which the Lord has prepared for all those who love Him; the same looking at your holy image, we rejoice in the glorious end of your residence and honor your holy memory. But you, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us become against the wiles of the devil, and get rid of sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present forever and we will be honored by your intercession, if not worthy of us, to see the good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints glorifying God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.