Synaxarium
Daily Stories of the Saints
for the Blessed Month of Baramhat
The Fourth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Baramhat 4
Assembly of the Holy Council on the island
of Bani-Omar
On this day a Holy Council convened
on the island of Bani-Omar against those people called the Fourteenthians.
The Fourteenthians celebrated the feast of the Holy Easter with the Jews
on the fourteenth of the crescent of Neesan (April) which was on any day
of the week. The Bishop of the island excommunicated them, and sent to
Serapion Patriarch of Antioch, Democratus Bishop of Rome, Demetrius Patriarch
of Alexandria, and Symmachus Bishop of Jerusalem to inform them of the
heresy of these people. Each one of them sent an epistle indicating in
it that Easter was only to be celebrated on the Sunday that follows the
feast of the Jews and ordered to excommunicate everyone that contradict
and disobey that. A council of eighteen bishops convened and these holy
epistles were read to them. They brought those heretics and read before
them these epistles, some of them returned from their wrong opinion and
the others insisted on their error. They prevented and excommunicated them
from the Holy Church. Also, they decided to celebrate Easter as the order
of the Holy Apostles saying: "Any one that celebrate Easter on any other
day than Sunday, had shared the Jews in their feasts and separated from
the Christians."
The dispute on the feast of the Christian
Passover (Easter) started between Asia Minor and Rome. Polycarp, Bishop
of Smyrna, publicly announced the need of keeping the 14th of Neesan to
commemorate the Crucifixion and the 16th of Neesan to commemorate the Resurrection
(These were the original dates that the Crucifixion and Resurrection fall
on regardless what day of the week they fell on) and the Christians of
Mesopotamia, Cilicia, and Syria followed his opinion. Victor, Bishop of
Rome, publicly announced the importance of putting into consideration that
the Crucifixion be on a Friday and the Resurrection be on a Sunday, (since
Friday is the day of the Crucifixion and Sunday is the day of the Resurrection).
The Christians of Egypt, Greece, Pontus and Arabia agreed with him in that.
The dispute between the two bishops intensified, nevertheless their friendship
remained unchanged. Alexandria intervened in this subject, and its Patriarch
Anba Demetrius the vine dresser (El-Karram), tried to mediate between these
two opinions (By making the commemoration of the Crucifixion on Friday
and the Resurrection on Sunday), and to be linked to the day 14th of Neesan
(The Jewish Passover).
Pope Demetrius gathered the Alexandrian
astronomers, among them was Ptolemy the astronomer which was from Farma,
and with their help the Patriarch established the reckoning of the Epacts,
which is known by the reckoning of El-Karmah. The reckoning of the Epacts
was able to determine the day of the Jewish Passover (The slaughter of
the Lamb) in any Egyptian Coptic year, and fix the Sunday after to be the
Feast of Resurrection. This way he fulfilled what the Apostles commend
that the Jewish Passover and the christian one not to be on the same day.
The first Universal council that convened in Nicea, 325 A.D. approved that
view and asked the Alexandrian Pope to issue a message on the feast and
its date every year.
May the Lord Guard us against the enticement of Satan, with the blessing
of the prayers of the saints. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Haboulyous (Hanulius)
the Prince
On this day also St. Haboulyous (Hanulius)
the prince of the city of Perga in Pamphylia was martyred. The love of
this prince for Christ made him publicly confess his faith. Barnabakhas
the Governor arrested him at Diocletian's command. He confessed the Lord
Christ before him giving the Lord the honor with glorious hymns then he
cursed the idols. The Prince became raged and ordered him to be crucified.
The Saint praised Christ that made him worthy to be martyred in His Name.
Then he delivered his soul in the hand of the Lord and received the crown
of martyrdom.
May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God for ever. Amen.