Boniface helps with what. Prayer to Martyr Boniface
The Holy Martyr Bonifatius (Comm. 19 December / 1 January) was the slave of a wealthy young Roman woman, Aglais, and was with her in lawless cohabitation. But both of them felt remorse and wanted to somehow wash away their sin. And the Lord took pity on them and gave them the opportunity to cleanse their sins with their blood and end their sinful life with repentance. Aglaida learned that if the relics of the holy martyrs are kept in a house with reverence, then through their prayers it is easier to receive salvation, for under their grace-filled influence sins are diminished and virtues reign. She equipped Boniface in the East, where at that time there was a cruel persecution against Christians, and asked them to bring the relics of a martyr so that he would become their leader and patron. At parting, Boniface, laughing, asked: "And what, lady, if I do not find the relics, and myself suffer for Christ, will you accept my body with honor?" Aglaida took his words seriously and reproached him for taking liberties in going on a holy cause. Bonifatius pondered over her words, and was concentrated all the way.
Arriving in Cilicia, in the city of Tara, Bonifatius left his companions at the hotel and went to the city square, where they tortured Christians. Shocked by the spectacle of terrible torture, seeing the faces of the holy martyrs enlightened by the grace of the Lord, Bonifatius, at the urge of his compassionate heart, rushed to them, kissed their feet and asked holy prayers, so that he would be worthy of suffering with them. Then the judge asked Boniface who he was. Boniface replied, "I am a Christian," and then refused to offer sacrifice to idols. They immediately betrayed him to torture: they beat him so that the meat fell from the bones, they stuck the needles under the nails, finally, they poured molten tin into his throat, but by the power of the Lord he remained unharmed.
The people surrounding the court became indignant, they began to throw stones at the judge, and then rushed to the pagan temple in order to overthrow the idols. The next morning, when the excitement somewhat subsided, the judge ordered to throw the holy martyr into a cauldron of boiling resin, but this did not cause any harm to the sufferer: an angel who came down from heaven watered him, and the resin poured out of the cauldron, flared up and burned the tormentors themselves. Then Saint Boniface was sentenced to beheading with the sword. Blood and milk flowed from the wounds; seeing such a miracle, about 550 people believed in Christ.
Meanwhile, the companions of Saint Boniface, having waited in vain for him for two days in the hotel, began to look for him, suggesting that he had indulged in frivolous pastime. At first the search was unsuccessful, but finally they met a man who had witnessed the saint's martyrdom. This witness led them to where the decapitated body still lay. Companions of Saint Boniface with tears asked him for forgiveness for inappropriate thoughts about him and, having bought the remains of the martyr for a lot of money, brought them to Rome.
On the eve of their arrival, an Angel appeared to Aglaida in a dream and told her to get ready to receive her former servant, and now her lord and patron, the co-servant of the Angels. Aglaida summoned the clergy, received the honest relics with great honor, and then built a temple in the name of the holy martyr on the place of his burial and placed there the relics, glorified by many miracles. Having distributed all her possessions to the poor, she retired to a monastery, where she spent eighteen years in repentance and during her lifetime acquired the wonderful gift of casting out unclean spirits. The saint was buried near the grave of the martyr Boniface.
Troparion, voice 4th
Martyrs were sent to the estate, the martyr was true, having suffered for Christ in the strongest, most valiant, but with relics you returned by faith that sent you, Blessed Boniface, pray to Christ God to accept our sins forgiveness.
Kontakion, voice 4th
You have brought the immaculate sacredness to you without permission, even from the Virgin to you for the sake of being born to the One Who wants to, holy crowned, wise Bonifatie.
Prayer to Martyr Boniface
Oh, long-suffering and all-praiseworthy martyr Boniface! We are now resorting to your intercession; do not reject the prayers of us singing to you, but hear us graciously. See our brothers and sisters, who are possessed by the grave affliction of drunkenness, see this for the sake of their mother, the Church of Christ, and eternal salvation falling away. Oh, holy martyr Boniface, touch their hearts with the gift from God with grace, soon raise them up from the falls of sinful ones and lead them to saving abstinence. Pray the Lord God, for His sake you suffered, so that having forgiven us our sins, you will not turn away His mercy from His sons, but may soberness and chastity strengthen in us, and help those who are sober with His right hand to preserve your saving vow to the end in days and nights, in Him. vigilant and about Him a kind response to the terrible judgment seat of date. Accept, saint of God, the prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children; honest wives, crying about their husbands, children of the orphaned and poor, from the pianos left behind, all of us, who fall to your icon, and may this cry come to the Throne of the Most High, grant everyone through prayer their health and salvation of souls and bodies, especially the Kingdom Heavenly. Cover and keep us from the crafty catching and all the intrigues of the enemy, in the terrible hour of our exodus help us to pass the unstoppable airy ordeal and by your prayers save eternal condemnation. Pray the Lord to grant us unfeigned and unshakable love for our fatherland, before the enemies of the Church of the Holy, visible and invisible, may the mercy of God cover us for the endless ages of the ages. Amen.
Second Prayer to Martyr Boniface
Oh, holy passion-bearer of Christ, a warrior of the Heavenly King, despising earthly sensuality and ascended to Heavenly Jerusalem by suffering, Martyr Boniface! Hear me a sinner, bringing prayer singing from my heart, and beg our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive all my sins, knowing and ignorant of what I have done. To her, martyr of Christ, the image of repentance that she has shown to sinners! Be a helper and intercessor for the evil of the devil's resistance by your prayers to God: you were much more afraid to avoid the nets of his wicked ones, but you were caught by a sinful trick and pulled tightly from him; repent, but a lie before God was. For this reason I run to you and pray: save me, holy God, from all evils by your intercession, by the grace of the Almighty God, in the Trinity of the Holy One glorified and worshiped, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
There was once a woman named Aglaida in Rome; her father was in the past the head of the city. Being young and beautiful, possessing rich estates inherited from her parents, and not having a legal husband, she, overcome by the passion of the flesh, spent her days in fornication, drunkenness and other sins.
She had a faithful slave who ruled over her house and estates; he was young and handsome, his name was Boniface. Aglaida was with him in a criminal relationship, satisfying her carnal lust.
During his dissolute life, Boniface was a slave to sin, but he had some virtues: he was merciful to the poor, loving to strangers and responsive to all who were beset by misfortune; to some he gave generous alms, to others he helped with sympathy. Having a strong desire to reform, Bonifatius often prayed to God that He would deliver him from the devil's wiles and help him become master over his passions. And the Lord did not despise His servant and did not allow him to get even more mired in sinful filth, giving Boniface to atone for his unclean deeds with blood and crowning his soul with a martyr's crown. This happened in the following way.
At that time there was a strong persecution against Christians, a deep darkness of idolatry covered the whole East, and many believers suffered and accepted a martyr's death for Christ. A saving thought and an irresistible desire to have the relics of a martyr in her house appeared to Mrs. Boniface Aglaida. She called the faithful and diligent Boniface and revealed her desire to him:
I heard from one pious man that if someone has the relics of the martyrs of Christ and honors them, sin does not multiply in that house, that person can even achieve eternal bliss, which the holy martyrs were honored with. Now many perform deeds for Christ and, giving their bodies for torment, receive martyr's crowns. Serve me rather go to the place where the persecution of Christians has been erected, and try to bring me the relics of one of the holy martyrs, so that I can build a temple where his relics will lie, he will be my protector, guardian and constant intercessor before God.
After listening to Aglaida, Bonifatius gladly agreed to fulfill her will. The mistress gave him a lot of gold: part for the distribution of alms to the poor, part for the ransom of relics: the wicked tormentors, seeing the love and veneration of Christians for the remains of the holy martyrs, sold them at a high price. Having prepared many different incense, canvases and everything that is required for a worthy transfer of honest martyr bodies, taking many slaves and horses to help him, Bonifatius got ready for his journey. Leaving the house, he, as if in jest, asked his mistress:
And what will happen if I do not find the body of the martyr and they bring you my body, tortured for Christ, will you then accept it with honor?
Aglaida, laughing, called him a drunkard and a sinner. Conquering, she said:
You should carefully guard yourself from all outrage and ridicule: the holy work must be done honestly and reverently. Remember, you are going for the holy relics, which we are not even worthy to look at. Go in peace; But God, who took the image of a man and shed His blood for us, forgive our sins and send you His Angel and guide you.
Boniface took to heart the order of his mistress. On the way, Bonifatius began to lament over his previous sins. I decided to fast: do not eat meat, do not drink wine, and pray fervently to come into the fear of God. Fear is the father of attention, and attention is the mother of inner peace, from which the beginning and root of repentance is born.
Boniface reached Asia Minor and entered the famous Cilician city of Tarsus, where King Diocletian and his co-ruler Maximian erected a cruel persecution against Christians, and the believers were subjected to severe tortures. Bonifatius left the slaves in the hotel, and immediately went to the place of torture and saw a multitude of people gathered to watch the sufferings of Christians. One of them was hanging upside down, and a fire was lit on the ground under him; the other was tied in a cruciform manner to four pillars; the third lay sawed through with a saw; the fourth, the torturers whipped with sharp weapons. Some had their eyes gouged out, some had body parts cut off, others were impaled. One had broken bones, another had his arms and legs cut off, and he rolled like a ball on the ground; but on all faces, spiritual joy was visible, because, enduring torments intolerable for a person, they were strengthened by the grace of God. Blessed Bonifatius looked at all this with attention, sometimes marveling at the courageous patience of the martyrs, now wishing for himself the same crown; then, filled with divine jealousy and standing in the middle of the place where about twenty people had already suffered, he began to embrace the martyrs, and loudly exclaimed:
Great is the Christian God! He is great, for He helps His servants and strengthens them in such great torments!
And again he began to embrace the martyrs and kiss them with love, calling them blessed. At the same time, Bonifatius prayed that he too would become a partaker of the crown, which they are now acquiring and will receive in a short time. The gazes of all those present were fixed on him. The judge, who tortured the holy sufferers, seeing a stranger in Boniface, asked him who he was. The saint answered:
My first and most beloved name is Christian; I came here from Rome; the name given to me by my parents is Bonifatius.
So, Bonifatius, - said the judge, - before I ordered to tear your body to pieces, bring a sacrifice to our gods. Then you will be worthy of many blessings, you will appease the gods, you will get rid of the torments that threaten you, and you will receive gifts from us.
Boniface repeated:
I am a Christian, and this is the only thing you will hear from me. Do with me what you please, but I will not make sacrifices to idols. After these words of Boniface, the judge immediately ordered him to undress, hang him upside down and beat him hard. He was beaten so hard that whole pieces of meat fell off his body and bones were bared, but Bonifatius, courageously enduring suffering, fixed his eyes on the holy martyrs, seeing in their suffering an example for himself and consoling himself that he was worthy to suffer with them for Christ ... Then the tormentor gave orders to ease the saint's torment and called for the sacrifice to be made again.
The saint objected:
Why demand the impossible from me, you madman! I can’t even hear about your gods, and you command me to bring sacrifice to them!
Then the judge, in strong anger, ordered to thrust sharp needles into him under the nails on his hands and feet, but the saint, raising his eyes to heaven, silently endured. Then the judge came up with a new torment: he gave orders to melt the tin and pour it into the mouth of the saint. While the tin was melting, the saint, raising his hands to heaven, prayed: "Lord my God, Jesus Christ, who strengthened me in the torments I endured, abide now with me, alleviating my suffering. You are my only consolation: grant me then a clear sign that that You help me to overcome Satan and this unrighteous judge: for Your sake I suffer. " Then he asked the holy martyrs with his prayers to help him endure the terrible torment. The torturers opened his mouth with iron tools and poured tin into his throat, but did not harm the saint. Those present, seeing such a miracle, exclaimed: "Great is the Christian God! Great is the King - Christ! We all believe in You, Lord!" And everyone turned to the nearby idol temple, wishing to destroy it, but they threw stones at the judge with great indignation. The same fled in disgrace to his house, and ordered Bonifatius to be kept in custody.
In the morning, the excitement of the people subsided, the judge again appeared at the judge's seat and, calling Boniface, blasphemed the name of Christ and mocked how Christ was crucified. The saint, not tolerating blasphemy against his Lord, himself, cursing the soulless gods and denouncing the blindness and madness of those who worship them. The judge became even more angry and gave orders to immediately light the cauldron of tar and throw the holy martyr into it. But the Lord did not leave His servant: suddenly an Angel came down from heaven and sprinkled the martyr in a cauldron; when the resin poured out, a strong flame formed around, which scorched many of the wicked pagans who stood nearby. The saint remained unharmed. Seeing the power of Christ, the tormentor was frightened and ordered to immediately behead Boniface with a sword. The saint turned to the east and prayed: "Lord, Lord God, grant me Thy mercies and awaken me as a helper, so that the enemy for my sins, committed in madness, does not block my path to heaven, but accept my soul in peace together with the holy martyrs, who shed blood for you and kept the faith to the end; but the flock, acquired by your honest blood, deliver your people, Christ, who are close to me, from all wickedness and pagan delusion, for you are blessed and abide forever! "
After praying, Bonifatius bowed his head under the sword and was beheaded: blood and milk flowed out of his wound ... The infidels, about 550 people, seeing this miracle, immediately turned to Christ and, leaving the vile idols, joined the faithful. Such was the end of Saint Boniface, who, setting off from home on his journey, foretold, jokingly, to his mistress what he had really proved and accomplished in practice.
Meanwhile, Boniface's friends and Aglais's servants who had come with him to Tara, not knowing anything about what had happened, sat in the hotel and awaited Boniface. When he did not return in the evening, they were surprised. By the morning of the next day, they began to condemn him and speak ill of him, suggesting that he got drunk somewhere and was spending time with harlots: “Here,” they said, laughing, “how our Bonifatius came to look for the holy relics!” But since he did not return by the next night and on the third day, they began to look for him, asking about him throughout the city. By chance, or, better to say, at God's discretion, they met a man and asked him if he had seen a stranger in the city. He replied: yesterday a certain foreign husband was condemned to death for Christ and beheaded with a sword ..
They went after that man, came to the place of torture, where a military guard was placed so that the bodies of the martyrs would not be stolen by Christians. They pointed to the lying martyr:
Is this who you are looking for?
When they saw the body of the martyr, they immediately recognized their friend, and when they put his head, which was lying separately, to the body, they were completely convinced that it was Boniface, and they were greatly surprised, and at the same time they were ashamed, for they thought and talked about it is bad; the servants were afraid of the total, lest their punishment befell for condemning the saint and laughing at his life, not knowing his heartfelt thoughts and good intentions. When they looked at the face of the saint in great amazement, they suddenly saw: Bonifatius gradually began to open his eyes and graciously look at them as his friends, thereby showing forgiveness to them for all their sins against him.
They were horrified and at the same time rejoiced, and wept over him, saying:
Servant of Christ, forget our sins, for we unrighteously condemned your life and recklessly scolded you!
Then they gave the wicked 500 gold coins, took the body and head of Saint Boniface, anointed them with fragrant oils, wound them with clean shroud and, putting them in the ark, went to their home in order to give the body of the martyr to their mistress. As they approached Rome, the Angel of God appeared in a dream to Aglaida and said:
Get ready to receive the one who used to be your servant, but now has become our brother and co-servant; accept the one who was your slave, and now he will be your master, and revere him: from now on he is the keeper of your soul and the protector of your life. She, waking up, was horrified and, taking at once several venerable church clergy, went out to meet the holy martyr Boniface, whom she had previously sent on her way as a slave, and upon her return she received him into her house reverently, with tears, like a master. And she remembered that joke of Saint Boniface, which became a prophecy, and thanked God, who arranged so that Boniface for his and her sins became a sacrifice pleasing to God. In her estate, located 50 stadia from Rome, Aglais built a wonderful temple in the name of the holy martyr Boniface, and placed holy relics in it, and many miracles were performed through the prayers of the martyr; healings were given to the sick, demons were driven out of people, and everyone who prayed at the saint's tomb with faith received the fulfillment of their petitions.
Subsequently, blessed Aglaida herself, having distributed all her possessions to the poor and the poor, renounced the world and, having lived another 18 years in great repentance, died in peace and joined the holy martyr Boniface, being laid next to his tomb.
Thus, two saints, miraculously changing their former lives, received a good end: one, having washed away their sins in the blood; was rewarded with a martyr's crown, while the other, with tears and a harsh life, cleansed herself of fleshly filth; and both appeared justified and blameless before the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
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Is reading hieromonk Simeon (Tomachinsky)Saint Boniface lived during the time of the emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305. He was the slave of a noble Roman woman named Aglaida, the daughter of a proconsul. Occupying the position of manager of the wealthy estate of his mistress, he led an unholy life, in accordance with the very free morals of the then Rome. Wholly indulging in wine drinking and fornication, Bonifatius sinned without a twinge of conscience with Aglaida herself. With all this, he was a person by nature kind and generous, gladly showed hospitality to pilgrims and loved to give alms to the poor.
After several years, Aglaida, tormented by remorse and fearing the future punishment of God for her sins, heard from Christians that a person who honors the relics of the holy martyrs, through their intercession, will receive forgiveness of sins from the Lord. Then, calling Boniface to her, she ordered him to go to Asia Minor, where Christians at that time were subjected to severe persecution, in order to acquire holy relics there for money and bring them to Rome. To this the servant replied with a sneer: "And if I bring you my own remains, will you honor me as a saint?" Aglaida reproachfully replied: “Now is not the time for jokes. Hurry to hit the road, and I, a sinner, will look forward to your return in order to receive forgiveness from the Lord. "
Bonifatius arrived in the city of Tarsus, in Cilicia, at the head of a numerous retinue, who had with him a lot of gold and everything necessary in order to embalm the remains of the saints and transport them with honors to Rome. He immediately went to the amphitheater, where at that time the cruel execution of 20 Christian martyrs was taking place. Boniface watched in horror as one of them was torn to pieces, tied by the arms and legs to four pillars, another was hung upside down, others were violently scourged, and others were torn at the sides with iron hooks - but they all remained firm and unshakable. Such a sight struck Boniface in the very heart. Forgetting about his past wicked life, in tears he threw himself at the feet of the martyrs, reverently kissed their fetters and, asking to be remembered in his holy prayers, publicly announced that he was now also a follower of Christ.
Brought to trial before the ruler of this region, Bonifatius with contempt rejected the service of idols and firmly confessed the Savior. Then taken to the circus, through the prayers of the holy martyrs, he endured various tortures with such dispassion, as if he had already left this world and was alien to his own body. A sharpened reed was thrust under his nails, molten lead was poured into his mouth, he was dipped into a cauldron of boiling resin, but no amount of torment could break his spirit. The next day Bonifatius happily listened to the death sentence passed on him. Conceiving himself with the sign of the cross before execution, he offered up a fervent prayer to the Lord for the strengthening of Christians in their sorrows and for the granting of remission of sins and eternal heavenly bliss to him.
Companions of Saint Boniface, having decided at first that he, as usual, went to some tavern or another similar place, began to worry about his prolonged absence and set off in search. In the city they met the brother of the local executioner, who told them that the day before a certain Roman had been executed there, according to the description, similar to their comrade. Although they could not imagine that this martyr was the merry fellow Boniface, they nevertheless hurried to the amphitheater. With amazement, they found the body of their companion there, which they then ransomed for 50 pounds of gold and honorably brought it to Rome.
At this time, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Aglaida and said: “Get up and go to meet the one who was your servant and companion in fornication, and now has become our brother. Accept him as lord, for thanks to him all your sins will be forgiven you. " With joy in her heart, the woman equipped a magnificent retinue in order to adequately meet the holy relics on the way to Rome. This is exactly how the involuntary prophecy uttered by Saint Boniface before his departure was fulfilled.
Subsequently, Aglaida built a large and beautiful church in the name of the martyr at the meeting place of the holy relics.
In this temple, over the centuries, through the prayer of Saint Boniface, numerous miracles have been performed. Aglaida herself, having given out all her fortune to the poor and since then despising the joys of the vain world, completely devoted herself to the feats of piety and prayer and over time received from the Lord the gift of miracles. She reposed in the world thirteen years later, surrendering her soul to the Lord with the belief that all the sins of her past life were completely blotted out thanks to the intercession of Saint Boniface.
Modern Church of Sant Bonifacio e Alessio in Rome.
During the civil New Year celebrations, as a rule, the weather is warmer than usual in winter: the frost weakens, the blizzard subsides. The Orthodox say that this is thanks to the holy martyr Boniface, whose memory falls on January 1. During his lifetime, he was subject to the passion of drunkenness, and now he prays for all the intemperate on the New Year's holiday so that they do not freeze.
The Holy Martyr Boniface suffered for Christ in the third century, during the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian.
Before accepting the martyr's crown, he lived in Rome and led a dissolute life ("the drunkard is lying in filth and the drunkard byache"). Bonifatius was young and handsome and served as administrator of the estates of the noble Roman woman Aglaya (Aglaida), daughter of the proconsul Akaki. Unmarried, she enjoyed freedom, beauty and wealth and was in love with her steward. But Boniface, being no stranger to virtue, was inwardly tormented by such a life.
He had a merciful heart: he generously helped the poor and received strangers. Aware of his weakness, Bonifatius often prayed to God that He would help him to reform. The Lord heard His servant, but arranged it so that he could wash away sinful deeds in blood and crown his soul with a martyr's crown.
At that time in the East there was a strong persecution of Christians, and Aglaida heard that the one who has the relics of Christ's martyrs in his house and reverently honors them receives help from God for salvation, and sin in the house does not multiply. Having no one more faithful and obedient than Boniface, Aglais sends him for the relics, supplying him with gold for ransom. Bonifatius gladly agreed to her proposal and expressed his full readiness to go. Leaving the house, he, as if in jest, said to his mistress: "And what will happen, lady, if I do not find any body of the martyr, and my body, tortured for Christ, is brought to you - will you then receive it with honor?" Aglaida, laughing, called him a drunkard and a sinner and reproached him for his outrage, obliging him to lead piously: "Remember that you are going to serve the holy relics, to which we not only touch, but even look at them are unworthy." Bonifatius seriously thought about her words and decided not to eat meat, not drink wine. All the way he lamented for the sins he had committed and prayed to God.
Arriving in the Cilician city of Tarsus (Asia Minor), Bonifatius left his companions at the hotel, and he hurried to the city square, where the judge of Simplicius, with a multitude of people, subjected 20 Christians to the cruellest tortures. One of them hung upside down over the fire; the other was tied in a cruciform manner to four pillars; the third lay sawed through with a saw; the fourth, the torturers whipped with sharp weapons. Some had their eyes gouged out, some had body parts cut off, others were impaled. One had broken bones, another had his arms and legs cut off, and he rolled like a ball on the ground. Shocked by the terrible sight, seeing the faces of the holy martyrs enlightened by the grace of the Lord, Bonifatius, driven by his compassionate heart, rushed to them, kissing and embracing them, praying to the Lord for the gift of a martyr's crown to him. He boldly declared himself a Christian and, refusing to offer sacrifice to idols, was immediately given over to torture.
They hung Saint Boniface upside down and began to beat him severely until the bones appeared, then they drove needles under his nails. Seeing his steadfastness, they poured molten tin down his throat. However, the Lord, through the prayer of the martyr, mysteriously kept him unharmed. The people glorified the Lord Jesus Christ for the patience of the sufferer and rushed to the pagan temple to destroy the idols.
The judge escaped death by flight and could continue the torment only the next day, when the popular unrest somewhat subsided. They threw the holy martyr into boiling tar, but this did not cause the sufferer any harm: he was irrigated by an Angel who came down from heaven, and the tar poured out of the cauldron, flared up and burned the tormentors themselves. Then the judge gave orders to cut off Saint Boniface's head. Blood and milk flowed from the wound, and a strong earthquake struck the city. Seeing such a miracle, about 550 people believed in Christ.
This is how the martyr Bonifatius ended his earthly life. Sent for the relics of the saints, he himself became a saint. It happened May 14, 290 .
Meanwhile, the companions of Saint Boniface, having waited in vain for him for two days at the hotel, began to look for him, suggesting that he had gotten drunk somewhere and was spending time with harlots. "This is how our Bonifatius came to find the holy relics!" they laughed. At first the searches were unsuccessful, but finally they came across a man who had witnessed the saint's martyrdom. However, they did not believe him: "Will a drunkard and a libertine suffer for Christ ?!" And then the witness brought them to where the decapitated body was still lying. Putting his head, which was lying separately, to the body, they were completely convinced that it was Bonifatius. The companions of the saint with tears asked him for forgiveness for inappropriate thoughts about him. Imagine their amazement when Bonifatius opened his eyes and smiled graciously at them. Then they, having ransomed the remains of the martyr for 500 gold coins, anointed them with perfumed ointments, wound them with clean shroud and, putting them in the ark, delivered them with honors to their mistress.
On the eve of their arrival, an Angel appeared to Aglaida in a dream and told her to get ready to receive her former servant, and now her lord and patron, the co-servant of the Angels. Aglaida summoned the clerics and received the honest relics with great honor. And she remembered the prophecy that the saint had uttered as he set off on his journey, and she thanked God, who arranged it so that Saint Boniface for his and her sins became a sacrifice favorable to God. On her estate, 50 stadia from Rome, she built a temple where she laid the relics of the martyr. Having donated one part of her property to the monasteries, the other to the beggars, she set free all the slaves and began to lead a monastic life with several virgins. Aglaya lived in repentance for about 18 years and was buried next to Boniface. According to legend, she received from God the gift of casting out demons and healing diseases.
Temple of Saint Boniface in Rome on the Aventine Hill
The Church of St. Boniface in Rome on the Aventine Hill was later rebuilt more than once. The life of another saint is connected with him - the Monk Alexy, a man of God. Venerable Alexy lived in a house next to the church of St. Boniface, was married in him, and in him was buried. Later, over the church of St. Boniface, a more extensive temple was built in the name of St. Alexy, the man of God, and the relics of both saints in 1216 were transferred from the lower church to the new upper one, in the sacristy of which their honest heads are currently kept separate from the relics.
In 1914, not far from Petrovsky Park, at the expense of A.I. Konshina, a shelter for crippled soldiers was opened and a house church was built in honor of St. Boniface. Currently, these buildings are occupied by the Moscow Regional Mental Hospital. Church of St. martyr Bonifatia at the hospital (8 March str., 1) is still active and helps those in need today.
Troparion, voice 4
Martyrs were sent to the estate, the martyr was true, having suffered for Christ in the strongest, most valiant, but with relics you returned by faith that sent you, Blessed Boniface, pray to Christ God to accept our sins forgiveness.
Kontakion, voice 4
You have brought the immaculate sacredness to you without permission, even from the Virgin to you for the sake of being born to the One Who wants to, holy crowned, wise Bonifatie.
How does the icon of St. Boniface help? The life of the holy martyr, as well as a strong Orthodox prayer from drunkenness and alcohol, which will save your loved ones from illness!
On the first day of the year, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the martyr Boniface, the saint who is prayed for deliverance from drunkenness. The Day of Remembrance of the Martyr of Faith fell at the beginning of the year as a result of the transition to the Gregorian system of chronology in 1918.
Mothers of alcoholics often turn to the martyr for help.
To get rid of the disease as soon as possible, you should adhere to the following rules:
- support the repentant in every possible way,
- visit the church and listen to the speeches uttered by the saint at the hour of the service,
- do not despair and do not lose heart.
It often happens that a person's independent struggle with an illness ends in failure. In this case, an appeal to the holy martyr helps to overcome indecision and uncertainty. A person gains faith in himself.
It is necessary to pray to the martyr Boniface after healing. The temptation is great and, in order not to lose faith, you need to pray relentlessly. Only pure and heartfelt prayer can give a person strength and determination.
When a person repents and realizes the perniciousness of drinking for body and soul, prayer is the best therapeutic tool on the path to healing.
Life of Saint Boniface
Boniface lived in the third century and was a resident of Rome. He did not have a noble birth and therefore served the wealthy aristocrat Aglaida, and also consisted with her in a lawless cohabitation. Slavery did not weigh on him. Left without parents, the mistress endowed Bonifatius with the powers of a manager. With this role, Bonifatius coped superbly.
Prodigal cohabitation was a burden for both the slave and his mistress - both of them were Christians.
But this was not Boniface's only fall from grace. He was also fond of such not godly deeds as:
- wine drinking;
- debauchery and carnal pleasures.
Soon Aglaida learned that keeping the relics of the saints in her dwelling would allow her to find salvation sooner. She sincerely believed that their beneficial effect removes sins and increases virtues. The mistress sent the slave to the East, where people showed no tolerance for Christians. Boniface had to bring from there the relics of any martyr in order for him to become a patron in her affairs.
After a while, Boniface and his companions arrived in the city of Tarsus.
After a successful search for a place to sleep, Bonifatius rushed to the main square. At this time, the torture of the martyrs took place there. These torments are described in detail in the life of Boniface himself.
It was what he saw that prompted a young and prosperous person to make a difficult decision. Evidence of what happened is recorded in the church calendar and in the records of the officials who were responsible for carrying out the executions.
After what he saw, Bonifatius passed through a cordon of soldiers and began kissing the feet of the martyrs, asking them to pray for his soul. The guards grabbed him. Standing before the judge, Boniface confessed that he was a Christian and refused to offer sacrifices to idols. After that, he was tortured and killed by beheading.
The companions, having found out that Bonifatius had been executed, ransomed the remains of the martyr from the soldiers and brought them to Rome.
The hostess received Boniface's relics with great respect and trepidation. And after a while, at the place of his burial, she built a temple. She dismissed the slaves and dedicated her life to monasticism.
The temple that Aglais built is a monument to love for Boniface.
How to pray
Any prayer is the sacrament of communion with God. Monotonous and thoughtless repetition of the memorized text will not help here.
Conversion in prayer and repentance to Saint Boniface must come from the heart. The person praying should do the following:
- Before the beginning of the prayer, a blessing from the priest is required.
- The one who is praying and suffering must openly tell the holy martyr about his difficulties and hardships, and also acknowledge his weakness. Only after sincere and pure repentance will the long-awaited healing come.
- Every day should begin with an appeal and gratitude to the Almighty.
It is right to turn to a saint for getting rid of drunkenness. If the son is dependent, then the mother should recite the mother's prayer. And also the mother should ask the priest to pray for her child before the Lord. If a person turns to God for the salvation of his soul, one should ask the blessing of the holy father.
Saint Boniface is the protector and mentor of those prone to alcoholism and gluttony. He is also the protector of lovers. Prayers addressed to him provide an opportunity to admit mistakes and correct your life.
Prayer to the holy martyr Boniface
Prayer does not require special skills from a person; it is a conversation with God. At divine services, the clergy use a special language. In personal prayer, when a believer is left alone with God, there is no need for a special language. You can pray to God in the language in which a person thinks and communicates with others.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on Thy servants ( namerek) with the words of Thy Divine Gospel, read about the salvation of Thy servants ( namerek). The thorns of all their sins, voluntary and involuntary, have fallen, Lord, and may Thy grace dwell in them, enlightening, scorching, purifying the whole person. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Among the Orthodox, Boniface's prayer for deliverance from drunkenness is one of the most effective.
It is necessary to pray for help from drunkenness of any family member or close relative, observing certain rules:
- It is necessary to pray to Saint Boniface during a period of severe binge drinking and at a time when a person does not feel a craving for alcohol.
- A person suffering from alcoholism (or his relatives) should pray to Boniface even at that moment, if, for some reason, not even a significant amount of alcohol was consumed. Many who have overcome the disease begin to drink again, believing that if the martyr helped once, he will help in the future. If a person feels his weakness and inability to resist an illness, then he should pray daily.
- Correctly read prayers helps not only to strengthen faith in one's own strength, but also gives an understanding that the believer is taking the right steps regarding alcohol.
- Prayer to Saint Boniface in helping to get rid of addiction has a tremendous therapeutic effect for those believers who are just about to begin the healing process. It complements the course of treatment that is prescribed to the patient by his attending physician.
The most sincere and strong prayer is considered to be pronounced by a believer not for himself, but for someone else.
When a person prays for Boniface's help, he must ask the martyr and that he should pray for forgiveness for him from the Lord.
In order for the martyr to make sure that the intentions of the prayer are pure and sincere, during the recitation of the text of the prayer, one must adhere to the rules of fasting. The prayer should be read for forty days.
Icon of St. Boniface
It depicts the martyr as a young and attractive youth with a red cape on his shoulders. The right hand holds the cross, and the left hand is concentrated in prayer.
The icon helps in the following cases:
- relieves drunkenness and gluttony;
- protects from debauchery;
- helps to find and keep love.
Now the relics of St. Boniface are on the Aventine Hill in Italy in the local cathedral. Defeating any disease requires not only a lot of effort, but also time. Faith and patience will help to overcome all possible hardships that may arise on the way to the desired recovery.
