#Feasts of #Ginbot_3
✞✞✞On this day we commemorate the departure of Saint Jason, one of the 72 Disciples, and Empress Welete Maryam of Ethiopia✞✞✞
✞✞✞In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen!✞✞✞
✞✞✞Saint Jason the Apostle✞✞✞
=>The forgetfulness of commemorating the names of the saints and their deeds is one of the sad things of our day and age. As if their blood was not shed and their bones were not crushed for the Church, we see today no one remembering them or most failing to recall even their names.
✞On top of that, some heretics accuse us, the Orthodox Tewahedo believers, as if we only are preaching about the saints and not about Christ.
✞Overlooking the Holy Apostles (the 120) is one of the major dismaying aspects [of today]. And because the names of many of the 120 Disciples have been forgotten and as the scholars have also chosen to stay silent, when we call on the names of the 72 Disciples saying, “Jason, Erastus, Epaphroditus, Phorus (Fournous) . . .” a generation that is bewildered has came up.
✞Let us at least remember the Apostles and the major saints! And that is because by commemorating them, we and not they are benefited.
=>Saint Jason, whom we commemorate today, was one of the 72 Disciples. He followed our Lord after His baptism and had learned under Him for 3 years. Then, after the ascension of our Lord, he went out to evangelize after receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
✞The Saint has preached with St. Paul by going back and forth [to many places]. He also suffered with him. And after the great Apostles received martyrdom, he passed on what he had heard word for word from our Lord Jesus Christ to the then new Christian generation which arose.
✞Because he preached the Gospel, gentiles imprisoned, beat, and tried him many times. And at time, they even burned him. However, his Creator used to miraculously save him as He had not departed from him.
✞The Saint captured many souls to Christianity including bandits by going outside the city [where he preached in], from the wilderness and from prisons as well. St. Jason preached for many years and departed [on this day] in a good old age.
✞✞✞Empress Welete Maryam of Ethiopia✞✞✞
=>Also on this day, Blessed Welete Maryam the Ethiopian, our Mother, is commemorated.
✞Welete Maryam was the wife of Emperor Naod, and the mother of Emperor Lebna Dengel and Saint Romane Work. During the years she was Empress (from 1487-1500E. C), as it was a time of famine, many people perished.
✞Nonetheless, Blessed Welete Maryam, in addition to prayer and fasting, saved many of the starved by providing them with food. She was also praised for leading the royal family to a good Christian life. And on this day, after her passing, she was entombed.
✞✞✞May our God not detach us from the blessings of the Saints.
✞✞✞ Annual feasts celebrated on the 3rd of Ginbot
1. Saint Jason the Apostle (One of the 72 Disciples)
2. Abba Besoy (Bishoy) the Martyr
3. Saint Eusebius the Priest
4. Blessed Welete Maryam, Empress (Mother of Emperor Lebna Dengel)
✞✞✞Monthly Feasts
1. The Entrance of our Lady the Virgin Saint Mary the God-bearer into the Temple
2. Sts. Joachim and Anna
3. Sts. The Arch-Priests (Zacharias and Simeon)
4. Abba Libanos of Mata
5. Abune Zena Markos
6. Abune Medhanine Egzi of Debre Benkol
✞✞✞ “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them . . . Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”✞✞✞
Luke 10:17
✞✞✞ Salutations to God ✞✞✞
(Translated by Mhr. Esuendale Shemeles with the permission of Dn. Yordanos Abebe)
