SKU: 8548267105

St. Philaret the Merciful icon (2)

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St. Philaret the Merciful icon (2)Orthodox icon of Saint Philaret, Philaretos the Merciful. Protector Saint of Beekeepers. Commemorated December 1. Righteous Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in piety and the fear of God. He lived during the eighth century in the village of Amnia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. His wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, and they had three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia.

Orthodox icon of Saint Philaret, Philaretos the Merciful.

Protector Saint of Beekeepers.

Commemorated December 1.

Righteous Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in piety and the fear of God. He lived during the eighth century in the village of Amnia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. His wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, and they had three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia. Philaret was a rich and illustrious dignitary, but he did not hoard his wealth. Knowing that many people suffered from poverty, he remembered the words of the Savior about the dread Last Judgment and about these least ones (Mt. 25:40); the Apostle Paul's reminder that we will take nothing with us from this world (1 Tim 6:7); and the assertion of King David that the righteous would not be forsaken (Ps 36/37:25).

Philaret, whose name means lover of virtue, was famed for his love for the poor. One day Ishmaelites [Arabs] attacked Paphlagonia, devastating the land and plundering the estate of Philaret. There remained only two oxen, a donkey, a cow with her calf, some beehives, and the house. But he also shared them with the poor. His wife reproached him for being heartless and unconcerned for his own family. Mildly, yet firmly he endured the reproaches of his wife and the jeers of his children. I have hidden away riches and treasure, he told his family, so much that it would be enough for you to feed and clothe yourselves, even if you lived a hundred years without working.

The saint's gifts always brought good to the recipient. Whoever received anything from him found that the gift would multiply, and that person would become rich. Knowing this, a certain man came to St Philaret asking for a calf so that he could start a herd. The cow missed its calf and began to bellow. Theoseba said to her husband, You have no pity on us, you merciless man, but don't you feel sorry for the cow? You have separated her from her calf.

The saint praised his wife, and agreed that it was not right to separate the cow and the calf. Therefore, he called the poor man to whom he had given the calf and told him to take the cow as well. That year there was a famine, so St Philaret took the donkey and went to borrow six bushels of wheat from a friend of his. When he returned home, a poor man asked him for a little wheat, so he told his wife to give the man a bushel.

Theoseba said, First you must give a bushel to each of us in the family, then you can give away the rest as you choose. Philaretos then gave the man two bushels of wheat. Theoseba said sarcastically, Give him half the load so you can share it. The saint measured out a third bushel and gave it to the man. Then Theoseba said, Why don't you give him the bag, too, so he can carry it?He gave him the bag. The exasperated wife said, Just to spite me, why not give him all the wheat. St Philaret did so. Now the man was unable to lift the six bushels of wheat, so Theoseba told her husband to give him the donkey so he could carry the wheat home.

Blessing his wife, Philaret gave the donkey to the man, who went home rejoicing. Theoseba and the children wept because they were hungry. The Lord rewarded Philaret for his generosity: when the last measure of wheat was given away, a old friend sent him forty bushels. Theoseba kept most of the wheat for herself and the children, and the saint gave away his share to the poor and had nothing left. When his wife and children were eating, he would go to them and they gave him some food. Theoseba grumbled saying, How long are you going to keep that treasure of yours hidden? Take it out so we can buy food with it.

During this time the Byzantine empress Irene (797-802) was seeking a bride for her son, the future emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos (780-797). Therefore, emissaries were sent throughout all the Empire to find a suitable girl, and the envoys came to Amneia. When Philaret and Theoseba learned that these most illustrious guests were to visit their house, Philaret was very happy, but Theoseba was sad, for they did not have enough food. But Philaret told his wife to light the fire and to decorate their home.

Their neighbors, knowing that imperial envoys were expected, brought everything required for a rich feast. The envoys were impressed by the saint's daughters and granddaughters. Seeing their beauty, their deportment, their clothing, and their admirable qualities, the envoys agreed that Philaret granddaughter, Maria was exactly what they were looking for. This Maria exceeded all her rivals in quality and modesty and indeed became Constantine's wife, and the emperor rewarded Philaret. Thus fame and riches returned to Philaret. But just as before, this holy lover of the poor generously distributed alms and provided a feast for the poor.

He and his family served them at the meal. Everyone was astonished at his humility and said: This is a man of God, a true disciple of Christ. He ordered a servant to take three bags and fill one with gold, one with silver, and one with copper coins. When a beggar approached, Philaret ordered his servant to bring forth one of the bags, whichever God's providence would ordain. Then he would reach into the bag and give to each person, as much as God willed. St Philaret refused to wear fine clothes, nor would he accept any imperial rank. He said it was enough for him to be called the grandfather of the Empress.

The saint reached ninety years of age and knew his end was approaching. He went to the Rodolpheia (The Judgment) monastery in Constantinople. He gave some gold to the Abbess and asked her to allow him to be buried there, saying that he would depart this life in ten days. He returned home and became ill. On the tenth day he summoned his family, he exhorted them to imitate his love for the poor if they desired salvation. Then he fell asleep in the Lord.

He died in the year 792 and was buried in the Rodolpheia Judgment monastery in Constantinople. The appearance of a miracle after his death confirmed the sainthood of Righteous Philaret. As they bore the body of the saint to the cemetery, a certain man, possessed by the devil, followed the funeral procession and tried to overturn the coffin. When they reached the grave, the devil threw the man down on the ground and went out of him.

Many other miracles and healings also took place at the grave of the saint. After the death of the righteous Philaret, his wife Theoseba worked at restoring monasteries and churches devastated during a barbarian invasion.

Reference: O.C.A.

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Krystle
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
MUST READ BOOK!!
Format: Kindle
I was in a huge reading slump, when one of my favorite authors recommended this book in her readers group (The amazing Marie Mistry 🫶) and I absolutely DEVOURED this book. Now I’m in the club crying about having to wait until December for Term 2! This book is about a girl named Pandora who has suffered a life that nobody would ever wish to have. This book is about Pandora learning how to live, learning about herself and what she really wants. She has a long journey to find out all of these things, but she took the first steps in this book and it was beautiful to read. Some of the men in this book are our dream men, Hunter and Reed 😍 and then we have the men who need some work and who we all really just want to beat up until they admit what they really feel, Skel, Bram and Dexter. But that cliffy was a killer and I absolutely cannot wait until the next book!! You have written an absolute dream of a book Lyra and I eagerly await the next installment in this series!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2024
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GhostHina
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Addicting!
Format: Kindle
I could not stop reading. It was so refreshing to have a series start so completely different than most fated mates/fantasy academy rh I’ve been reading. From the desert scenery to the magic and feeding plus the psychological trauma the characters are there to deal with. Pandora is absolutely adorable and I totally relate to hiding behind my hair. I love that she’s literally the most scary type of demon but it’s not the usual “badass mc” persona (which I do love a badass that can fend for herself and kick ass from the start but it was a nice change of pace). I’m not usually a big fan of bully within the harem but each character has their reasons for their actions and also conflicting feelings about them. I adore Dex and Reed! Complete opposites but their personalities and inner monologues made them instant favs. I can’t wait to see the character growth with the guys and continued strength for Pandora. The captivating characters and references to the Fate Hallow series added so much depth and now I need another reread while I wait for book 2. The concept of magic and the unique feeding habits of the demon characters were intriguing. I can't wait for the next book to continue this thrilling journey. In summary, this book is a must-read for fantasy and magic academy rh fans. With its enchanting characters, nods to the Fate Hallow series, and imaginative concepts, it offers an immersive reading experience that hwill leave you craving for more.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
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𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕄𝕠𝕥𝕙
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 4
Best academy I've read this year
Format: Kindle
I need a few things when it comes to a first book of a PNR romance series 1-Good world building (which this totally did) 2-An FMC I can root for (oh hell yes, Pandora is someone I can cheer for) 3-Good drama (can you say GROVEL BOYS!) 4-Enough story to make you feel like you really read something with meat (you saw this book is like 600 pages, yeah?) 5-A hook at the end so I want more! (please, Lyra, gimmie more?!? I need more!!) Be aware this book is a slow burn, but damn do I feel like there'll be some big payoff when it finally happens. Who doesn't like the buildup?
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Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2024
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Steffikins
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 5
Pandora’s Pain, Power, and Passion
Format: Kindle
I absolutely love this new world Lyra Winters has created! The spin on a Demon Academy setting was fresh, unique, and completely addictive. Pandora is a character who immediately captured my heart. Thought to be powerless and enduring years of brutal abuse from her mother, it’s no surprise that her powers emerge at the exact moment she needs them most. After her mother’s death, Pandora discovers her father is none other than Death himself, a soul eater with a dark legacy. Her journey at the academy is anything but easy, filled with challenges tied to her father’s infamous reputation, her barely controlled abilities, and the cruelty of those around her. Pandora is easy to root for, you feel every ounce of her pain, resilience, and growth. Along the way she meets Reed, a half-human dream demon who’s kind, steady, and the kind of friend everyone wishes they had. There’s also Hunter, a vengeance demon and counselor connected to her father, who adds another intriguing layer to her story. Then there are the bullies: Dexter, a brooding shadow demon; Bram, a chaos demon with a drinking problem and deep hatred for demon nobility; and Skel, a fear demon wrestling with his own darkness. They might hurt her, but they also can’t seem to stay away when she’s in danger, making for some deliciously complicated dynamics. This book hits so many of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and of course, the irresistible “who hurt you?” storyline. I devoured it, and I’m already diving straight into book two!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2025
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Brandi
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
So good!
Format: Kindle
Oh my goodness! What did I just read? Lyra Winters you have some serious explaining to do! That cliffhanger killed me! I am so happy to be back in the world of Kalista. This is definitely darker than Fates Hollow but oh so good. This is a fated mates reverse harem which I absolutely love. Pandora had a very hard and rough upbringing. She lives in pain constantly and it makes it hard on her. She struggles with everything because she was kept so isolated and is new to her magic. Pandora gets sent to the Reform Academy and all of them have reasons why they are there. I love how, after everything she has been through, she is still a nice person. She is growing and becoming stronger too. Love her character. The guys all act like jerks at first but all have a back story that helps understand why even though want to smack them. I'm here for the groveling that I'm sure will come. I love them all. They each bring something for her. They are all drawn to her though. This is a slow burn book but there will be more books in the series so sure it will build. Man, that cliffhanger was a doozy and need book 2 now!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2024

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