St. Cosmas of Aetolia

[Moros]

http://www.comeandseeicons.com/phn56.htm

St. Cosmas is considered to be Equal to the Apostles. He was born in Mega Dendron in Aetolia in 1714. He became a monk and lived on Mt. Athos for many years, but became dismayed by the lack of knowledge of the gospel among Orthodox people living under Turkish domination. So he studied rhetoric in Constantinople and received a blessing from Patriarch Seraphim II to go about preaching the Gospel. He preached in Macedonia, Serbia, Albania & Greece and established schools. Not only Christians came to hear him, but many Muslims as well. He was known to be a very holy man. He always sought the blessing of the local Orthodox Bishop before he preached in an area, as well as that of the Turkish authorities. His preaching against dishonest business practices raised the ire of both Jewish and Orthodox Christian businessmen. They falsely accused him to the Turkish authorities. The Turks strangled him and threw his body into a river in Albania. That was on August 24, 1779. He was 65. His relics were preserved, however, and have been working wonders since.

 

[Wisdom's Child]

This brings up another question...

What set this Saint apart from the others, in that he is considered an "Equal to the Apostles".

How many "Equals" are there?

Does this imply that God must add a 13th, 14th, 15th, etc... Foundation Stone to New Jerusalem?

Revelation 21:14
The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and engraved upon them were twelve names — the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

How "Equal" is "Equal"

ACTS 1:21-26
"It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us — beginning from His baptism by John down to the day on which He was taken up again from us into Heaven — one should be appointed to become a witness with us as to His resurrection." So two names were proposed, Joseph called Bar-sabbas — and surnamed Justus — and Matthias. And the brethren prayed, saying, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, show clearly which of these two Thou hast chosen to occupy the place in this ministry and Apostleship from which Judas through transgression fell, in order to go to his own place." Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias, and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him.

I was under the Impression that to be considered for Apostleship, you at least had to be one of the early discipes, from the beginning of Jesus's ministry, and a witness of both His Baptism and His Resurection.

I fully understand what Sainthood implies, with all the accompanying Miracles and Relics, but Equality to the Apostles??? Can someone explain this to me?

 

[Iacobus]

This brings up another question...

What set this Saint apart from the others, in that he is considered an "Equal to the Apostles".

How many "Equals" are there?

Does this imply that God must add a 13th, 14th, 15th, etc... Foundation Stone to New Jerusalem?



How "Equal" is "Equal"



I was under the Impression that to be considered for Apostleship, you at least had to be one of the early discipes, from the beginning of Jesus's ministry, and a witness of both His Baptism and His Resurection.

I fully understand what Sainthood implies, with all the accompanying Miracles and Relics, but Equality to the Apostles??? Can someone explain this to me?

Equal to the Apostles is more an honorific, if you will, suggesting that the person was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to an area. Another example is St. Nina, Equal to the Apostles, who is credited with evangelizing Georgia -- the country, not the state. I think St. Bubba evangelized Georgia the state.

(I grew up in Georgia. I can say that.)

James

 

[Michael G]

Exactly, there are many who are Equal to the Apostles. The title is honorary. St. Patrick is considered Apostle to Ireland, and St. Boniface the Apostle to Germany. St. Innocent is considered Apostle to the Americas. These men were not part of the 12, but they were instrumental in evangelizing those regions. I love Orthodox math, there are litterally 100's of men and women who are the 13th Apostle!

 

[prodromos]

Saint Mary Magdalen is another who is considered equal to the Apostles.

Saint Kosmas Aitolos had many visions of the future, though he tended only to see the negative side. For example he described aeroplanes but only in their war capacity. He also foresaw television, he said that one day the devil would come into our homes through a box in our living rooms and he would have his horns on the roofs of our houses.

Doesn't that describe television perfectly

John.

 

[Moros]

Saint Kosmas Aitolos had many visions of the future, though he tended only to see the negative side. For example he described aeroplanes but only in their war capacity. He also foresaw television, he said that one day the devil would come into our homes through a box in our living rooms and he would have his horns on the roofs of our houses.

Doesn't that describe television perfectly

John.

Are you kidding? If not, do you have some sources?

 

[prodromos]

Are you kidding? If not, do you have some sources?

No I'm not kidding. Alas my sources are books published in Greek, so they may not be so helpful to you although I'm pretty sure there are English translations available.

I'll get back to you on this.

John.

 

[Wisdom's Child]

Exactly, there are many who are Equal to the Apostles. The title is honorary. St. Patrick is considered Apostle to Ireland, and St. Boniface the Apostle to Germany. St. Innocent is considered Apostle to the Americas. These men were not part of the 12, but they were instrumental in evangelizing those regions. I love Orthodox math, there are litterally 100's of men and women who are the 13th Apostle!

Hmmmm.....

Not trying to nit-pick mind you, but wouldn't the term or title "True Disciple" or such been more appropriate since what you are really describing here is the fullfillment of the "Great Commission" that was given to the Disciples?

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

That could avoid confusion between the 12 Apostles (which represented the original 12 Sees) and the Multitude of Disciples (which were Commanded of God to Evangelize the Nations).

 

[Oblio]

Apostle would be correct:

Greek apostolos, from apostellein to send away, from apo- + stellein to send

It is modern Protestants that constrain the term Apostle to the original 12. Interestingly, this constraint is not to be found in Scripture IMO this is to deemphasize the fact that the physical Church that we see decribed in Acts and the Epistles continued to exist and still exists today.

 

[Suzannah]

Actually, Ireland has three "Equal to the Apostles":
St. Patrick
St. Brigid
St. Columba

 

[Wisdom's Child]

Apostle would be correct:

Greek apostolos, from apostellein to send away, from apo- + stellein to send

It is modern Protestants that constrain the term Apostle to the original 12. Interestingly, this constraint is not to be found in Scripture IMO this is to deemphasize the fact that the physical Church that we see decribed in Acts and the Epistles continued to exist and still exists today.

If that is correct, then why the Orthodox constraint in the terminology of "equal to..." ?

Why not just call them Apostles?

My experience with TAW tells me that the answer is more likely to be found in Tradition than in Scripture.

The Title is Honorary...

Sorry everyone, the light just came on... (WC can be a bit slow at times)

In educational circles, an Honorary Title bestows an equal ammout of credance to an Actual Title, the only difference is the method and time spent earning it...

 

[Oblio]

Why not just call them Apostles?

They often are, especially when it is clear in context that they are not one of the original twelve Apostles.

 

[Oblio]

[c]

[/c]

Kontakion in Tone 2 to St Innocent the Metropolitan of Moscow and Enlightener of the Aleuts, Apostle to the Americas



A true celebration of the providence and grace of God
Is your life, O holy father Innocent, Apostle to our land.
In hardships and dangers you toiled for the Gospel's sake
And God delivered and preserved you unharmed.
From obscurity He highly exalted you as an example
That the Lord truly guides a man in the way he should go.

 

[Oblio]

My experience with TAW tells me that the answer is more likely to be found in Tradition than in Scripture.

A slight nitpick, but important to Orthodox and Inquisitors is the fact that Holy Scripture is part of the whole of Tradition

 

[Moros]

No I'm not kidding. Alas my sources are books published in Greek, so they may not be so helpful to you although I'm pretty sure there are English translations available.

I'll get back to you on this.

John.

I'd appreciate it. Especially that bit about TV.

Here's something else I found:

Prophecies of St. Kosmas Aitolos
Concerning War in the Balkans

http://holyorthodoxy.tripod.com/stkosmas.html

 

[Orthosdoxa]

Saint Mary Magdalen is another who is considered equal to the Apostles.

Saint Kosmas Aitolos had many visions of the future, though he tended only to see the negative side. For example he described aeroplanes but only in their war capacity. He also foresaw television, he said that one day the devil would come into our homes through a box in our living rooms and he would have his horns on the roofs of our houses.

Doesn't that describe television perfectly

John.

Hey, I read that once. It furthermore said that the box in the living room would take the place of the icon corner in many homes.

 

[Moros]

Hey, I read that once. It furthermore said that the box in the living room would take the place of the icon corner in many homes.

That does it. I MUST have the information pertaining to this.

 

[Iacobus]

I'm still looking for the prophecy. I know I've read it before on the net. In the meantime, though, try this for some of the Saint's writings:

http://www.fr-d-serfes.org/writtings/stcosmas.htm

 

[Orthosdoxa]

I'm thinking....MAYBE I read it in "The Mountain of Silence"??? But I might be wrong there...

 

[Oblio]

I can't think of a more evil appliance (with the exception of perhaps Microsquish software) than the TV.