Απολυτίκιο και άλλα

Κοντάκιον.
Οὐδαμῶς τὸ θῆλύ σοι, ἐμποδὼν ὤφθη Ματρῶνα, πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον, ἀγῶνας ὄντως καὶ ἄθλους· ᾔσχυνας, διὸ τὸν μέγαν νοῦν θεοφόρε· εὔφρανας, τὸ γυναικεῖον μεγάλως γένος, τὸ ἐκείνου ταῖς σαῖς νίκαις, προσαφελοῦσα τῆς ἥττης ὄνειδος.

Μεγαλυνάριον.
Ἔβλυσας ἱδρῶτας ἀσκητικούς, ἐν τῇ Χίῳ Μῆτερ, ὡς καλλίκρουνός τις πηγή, ἐξ ὧν ἀπαντλοῦντες, Ματρῶνα μακαρία, παθῶν τῶν ψυχοφθόρων, ἐκκαθαιρόμεθα.

Φορητή εικόνα της Αγίας Ματρώνας της Χιοπολίτιδας


[πηγή: Η Αγία Ματρώνα, Βίοι Αγίων No. 30, Aρxιμ. X. Δ. Βασιλόπουλου, Ορθόδοξος Τύπος, Αθήνα, 1970]

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἦχος πλ. δ’.
Ἐν σοί Μῆτερ ἀκριβῶς διεσώθη τό κατ᾽ εἰκόνα· λαβοῦσα γάρ τόν σταυρόν, ἠκολούθησας τῷ Χριστῷ, καί πράττουσα ἐδίδασκες, ὑπερορᾷν μέν σαρκός, παρέρχεται γάρ· ἐπιμελεῖσθαι δέ ψυχῆς, πράγματος ἀθανάτoυ· διό καί μετά Ἀγγέλων συναγάλλεται, Ὁσία Ματρῶνα τό πνεῦμά σου (Χιακόν Λειμωνάριον)

Μεγαλυνάριον
Έχοντες Εικόνα σου την σεπτήν, ένδοξε Ματρώνα, ως προπύργιον οχυρόν προσφεύγομεν ταύτη, εν πάσι τοις κινδύνοις, και εκ παντοίας βλάβης, απολυτρούμεθα.
 
Απολυτίκιο. Ήχος γ'. Την ωραιότητα.
Χρίστου τοις ίχνεσιν, άκολουθήσασα, κόσμου τερπνότητα, Όσία έλιπε, και έμιμήσω εν σαρκί, Αγγέλων την πολιτείαν όθεν ταις του Πνεύματος, δωρεαίς κατεφαίδρυνας, την ένεγκαμένην σε, νήσον Χίον πανεύφημε· διό χαρμονικώς έκβοά σοι χαίροις Ματρώνα πανολβία.

... Aκούστε το εδώ: http://www.pigizois.net/sinaxaristis/10/20_10.htm

Φωτογραφία από Ιωάννη Σανιδόπουλο

THE LIFE OF St MATRONA OF CHIOS

St Matrona of Chios 
Commemorated October 20 and July 15
 
by Christina Dedoussis


St Matrona lived in the 15 th century. She was born on the island of Chios, Greece, in the village called Volissos. It was from this same village that a later Saint, Saint Marcella, martyred.

Saint Matrona's parents were highly respected and well-to-do Christians, compared to the other villagers. Mary, as she was called before she became a nun, was the youngest of seven children.

When the time came for her parents to arrange her marriage, she refused because she wanted to remain a virgin. She wanted to become a bride of Christ. (It was a strong Christian belief that the highest virtue a woman could have was that of her virginity. This philosophy was taught by St Paul). To avoid this marriage, Mary left Volissos and her family and went to an area overlooking the village, called Katavasis. Here she began her spiritual struggle. She fasted, prayed and meditated.

Meanwhile, her parents searched the area to find her. After locating her they convinced her to return home. Mary complied with her parents' wishes, except for one - she refused to wed. Her parents, seeing that she still desired to lead a monastic life, gave her their consent to pursue her ambition.

When Mary's parents died, she distributed the farmland she inherited among her sisters and the orphans of the community. She left Volissos, never to see her village again and returned to Katavasis, where she stayed for three years as she re-examined her spiritual beliefs. Her food was basic and was brought to her by one of her sisters.

God, however, wanted her to guide others in the way of righteousness and show them how to obtain their salvation, therefore she left Katavasis and went to the capital of the island. Here there were many women's monasteries which followed the rules of monastic society. It was in one of these monasteries that Mary was to spend the remainder of her life, undergoing spiritual struggles, leading others towards salvation and performing miracles.

Upon visiting the different monasteries, Mary found a secluded one which she preferred. It consisted of three nuns, a mother and her two daughters. The nuns, realising her sincerity, immediately welcomed her into their home. At this point Mary's name was changed to Matrona. (When a nun reaches a high point in her monastic life and becomes a Stavrophore, a new name is bestowed upon her, symbolising a second baptism and a new way of life).

Matrona surpassed the other nuns in her devotion, spirituality and understanding. Her sincerity convinced other girls to come to this monastery and lead the same type of life. The church itself was small and the Abbess agreed with Matrona to enlarge it and to build cells for the nuns. Any remaining farmland and personal belongings Matrona sold and with the money received, the monastery built a public bath so that the poor and wayfarers could bathe. These baths were very common during this time. After this, the renovation of the church began.

When the church was completed (with the help of Saint Artemios to whom it was dedicated) the Abbess of the monastery died. The nuns then elected Matrona as the new Abbess.

After the Genoese conquered the island of Chios, many barbarians inhabited the island. They plundered the island, including the monasteries. Among these was the monastery of Saint Matrona. One of these barbarians attempted to attack the nuns of the monastery. The Saint prayed for Divine help. From the heavens bolts of lightning fell to the ground, killing the assailant. The barbarians, seeing the destruction fled from the island in fear.

After these events, Matrona dreamt of her own death. Subsequent to this, she suffered from an illness for seven days. In the seven days she advised the other nuns as a mother would advise her children. She received Holy Communion and died on 20 October 1462. She was buried in the monastery's church in which she spent the greater part of her life. To honour this great Saint, God allowed her holy body to perform miracles after death. Many people with all types of afflictions came to the church and were cured.

In the village of Katavasis, there was a church built to honour the place where Saint Matrona had first started her spiritual struggles. Later, a larger church was built and the smaller one was used as a cemetery chapel.

The story of Saint Matrona of Chios is one of the most beautiful in our church history. She is an excellent example of a devoted Christian who tried in every sense of the word to be closer to her Lord, and guide and help her fellow man. She continues to perform many miracles for the worthy faithful.

Dismissal Hymn (Fourth Tone)

O Lord Jesus, to You Your lamb cries with a great voice, "O my Bridegroom, You I love; and seeking You, I now contest, and with Your baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Your sake, that I may reign with You; for Your sake I die, that I may live in You: accept me offered out of longing to You as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since You are great in mercy".

Kontakion (Second Tone)

Filled with the Light of the Spirit, O Matrona, you regarded your prison cell as a bridal chamber; and from it hastened to your radiant dwelling in the heavens, crying out, "In divine love for You, O Word, I gladly endured scourgings".

from Voice in the wilderness
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Greek Orthodox Community of St George, Brisbane

http://home.iprimus.com.au/xenos/matronachios.html


The Holy Monastery of St. Matrona was built by the noble Roidis in 1470 near the village of Mesa Didima. He originally intended to build a summer villa; however, Matrona appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to build the monastery instead. His sisters were the first two nuns to enter the monastery. The abbot of the monastery during the Turkish Occupation was the Holy Nikiforos of Chios. Nikiforos wrote the 24 Hymns of Agia Matrona. Today, four nuns dwell in the monastery. The monastery celebrates the saint's feast day on October 20 each year.

http://orthodoxchristianreligion.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html


A short overview of the life of St Matrona of Chios can be  also found here:

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Matrona_of_Chios


[Researched/Collated by Eugenia Fratzeskou]

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