The great
spiritual light Ioannikios was born in the village of Marikata in the province
of Bithynia, of his father Myritrikios and his mother Anastasia.
As a
youth, he was a shepherd. While tending his sheep, he would often retreat into
solitude and remain in prayer the whole day, encircling his flock with the sign
of the Cross so that the flock would not stray and scatter.
Later, he
was taken into the army and displayed marvelous courage, particularly in the
wars with the Bulgarians.
Following
his military service, Ioannicius withdrew to Mount Olympus in Asia Minor, where
he was tonsured a monk and dedicated himself completely to asceticism until his
repose in great old age. He lived in asceticism for over fifty years in various
places, and received from God a truly abundant gift of wonderworking. He healed
all sicknesses and pains, drove out demons, and tamed wild beasts. He
especially had power over snakes, could cross over water as on dry land, could
be invisible to men when he so desired, and could foretell future events. He
was distinguished by overwhelming humility and meekness. His outward appearance
was that of a giant - massive and powerful.
He took
an active part in the destiny of God's Church. During the iconoclast
controversy, he was deceived at first, but later tore himself away from the
iconoclast viewpoint and became an ardent champion of the veneration of icons.
He had a great friendship with Patriarch Methodios of Constantinople.
Ioannikios
lived for ninety-four years and entered peacefully into rest in the Lord in the
year 846. He was a great miracle-worker both during his life and after his
death.
By St. Nikolai Velimirovich
A Reflection
Mercy is
the fruit of faith. Where there is true faith, there also is true mercy.
St.
Ioannikios was walking past a monastery one day. Among the many nuns, there
were a mother and daughter. Evil spirits continually assaulted the young
daughter with bodily temptations, and inflamed the passion of lust in her to
such a degree that she wanted to leave the convent to marry. In vain did her
mother counsel her to stay. Her daughter would not even hear of it.
When the
mother saw St. Ioannikios, she begged him to counsel her daughter to remain in
the monastery and not expose her soul to perdition in the world. Ioannikios
summoned the maiden and said: "Daughter, place your hand on my
shoulder!" She did so. Then the compassionate saint prayed to God with a
fervent heart that He deliver her from temptation, and that her bodily lust be
transferred to him. Thus, it happened. The maiden was completely calmed and
remained in the monastery, and the saint of God went on his way. But as he
went, the passion of lust was inflamed in him, and his blood began to boil as
though on fire. He desired to die rather than to give the passion its way and,
seeing a large poisonous snake, ran to it so as to be bitten and to die. But
the snake would not bite him. He provoked it to make it bite him, but as soon
as he touched it the snake died. At that moment the flame of lust disappeared
from Ioannikios.
Hymn of
Praise:
The Venerable Ioannikios the Great
Ioannikios
served the people,
The
people and the prince, with great zeal,
And then
withdrew from all and everything
To serve
the glory of the Heavenly King.
Ioannikios
was a great soldier
For the
holy Faith and for pure justice;
With
tears and labors for half a century
He prayed
and prayed to Christ.
Glorious
Ioannikios was a rich man,
Rich and
more than abundant with the power of heaven,
Leading
the struggle, and chanting Psalms,
Against
every dark and deceitful power.
The
wondrous saint, Ioannikios,
Worked
many wonderful miracles
In the
name of Christ and by the power of the Cross,
Mightily
destroying the demons' schemes.
O Saint
of God, Ioannikios,
You found
mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ:
Beg mercy
also for us sinners,
And from
the Holy Spirit, holy grace.
Prayer of St. Ioannikios
This
prayer is attributed to St. Ioannikios the Great. It is said that he would
repeat a version of this prayer between verses of the Psalms, the entirety of
which he had memorized:
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son,
my shelter is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, glory to You.
Apolytikion in Plagal of the Fourth Tone
By a
flood of tears you made the desert fertile, and your longing for God brought
forth fruits in abundance. By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole
universe. O our holy father Ioannikios, pray to Christ our God to save our
souls.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Today we
celebrate together your honored memory, and we faithfully beseech you, O holy
Ioannikios that we may find mercy with the Lord.
Apolytikion in Plagal of the First Tone
Thou
didst abandon earthly glory and wast illumined by the light of God's
inspiration. Wherefore thou didst shine on earth like a fadeless star. For thou
wast found worthy to hear the divine voice like Moses and wast also like the
Angels and a treasury of grace, O holy Father Ioannikios.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
We have
come together today to honour thy memory, and implore thee to obtain mercy for
us from the Lord, O holy Father Ioannikios.
Source: johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/11/saint-ioannikios-great-of-olympus.html
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