Happy Names Day to two of our young ladies!

“Twofold is the path of love for the Lord. Of this there are two types, of which the holy women Martha and Mary gave us the prototypes. One served Christ in His Humanity, while the other sat at His feet and listened to the words of His Divinity. But thou didst most wisely unite these two types in a single fife of service, О Elizabeth, favorite of God. ” (from the Great Vespers service to St. Elizabeth)

St. Elizabeth the New Martyr was a member of the Russian Royal family. Her husband was killed during the Revolution of 1905 and Elizabeth was killed in 1918 with other members of the royal family after the Revolution of 1917.

After her husband died in 1905, she sold all of her riches and founded the Convent of Sts. Martha and Mary in Moscow. With the nuns, she helped the poor and needy, and during WW1 she nursed the sick and wounded in hospitals and on the battlefront. When given the opportunity to flee the Revolutionists in 1917, she remained to be with her people.

“Show me thy faith and thy love in thy deeds, crieth the Lord to me. And I have no answer to give Him; for I am like unto a barren tree, and there is no justification for me. Yet my soul hath humbled itself before the Lord and hath desired to do His will. О Elizabeth, strengthen me for this work, that my good intentions may not leave me, and that I may ever cry out: Ye children, bless; ye priests, sing hymns; ye people, supremely exalt Him unto all the ages.” (from Ode VIII, in the canon to St. Elizabeth.)