On this day we commemorate our Venerable Father Stylianos of Paphlagonia
The firm pillar of asceticism has fallen,
For Stylianos has left this life.
Stylianos joyfully stands by God on the twenty-sixth.
From the time he was in the stomach of his mother, he was sanctified, and became a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. For this reason he distributed the riches he had to the poor, and became a Monk, surpassing all the Monks of his time by his hard struggles and arduous asceticism. Later he went to the desert, and entered into a cave. There he received food by a divine Angel, and he became a physician of various untreated passions.When a death-bearing sickness comes to an infant and dies, and the parents are left childless, then, whatsoever mother calls upon Saint Stylianos with faith, and paints his holy icon, will give birth to other children. Also the sick infants are released from their sickness.*

The glorious one, having lived as a citizen,  and done many healings and miracles, then departed for the Lord.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos
* On the island of Icarus there was a tradition to keep an icon of St. Stylianos in the house, and when a child came down with a sickness the parents would bring the icon to the Divine Liturgy and then bless the child with it. In Crete the parents of children who died name the departed child “Stylianos” if a boy or “Styliani” if a girl. Even during the time of illness, the child’s name may be changed to “Stylianos”. Among the Vlachs one also finds men named “Stergios” or “Stelios” to fulfill a vow of the mother who had trouble bearing children. [Note by J.S.]
source: mystagogy

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