By
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
When
the Magi from the east did not return to Jerusalem from Bethlehem to inform
Herod about the newborn King but rather, at the angel's command, returned to
their homeland another way, Herod became as enraged as a wild beast and ordered
all the children two years old and under in Bethlehem and its surroundings to
be killed.
This
frightening command of the king was carried out to the letter. His soldiers
beheaded some of the children with swords, smashed others against stones,
trampled others underfoot, and strangled others with their hands. And the cries
and wails of the mothers rose to heaven, lamentation, and bitter weeping;
"Rachel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:18), as
had been prophesied.
This
crime against the multitude of innocent children was carried out a year after
the birth of Christ, at the time when Herod was seeking to find the Divine
Child. He asked Zacharias about his son John, so that he might kill him, since
he naturally thought that John was the new king. As Zacharias did not turn John
over, he was slain in the Temple
by order of Herod. St. Symeon the God-Receiver would also have been murdered
soon after the Presentation in the Temple,
had he not already reposed in God.
After
murdering the children of Bethlehem,
Herod turned against the Jewish elders who had revealed to him where the
Messiah would be born. He then killed Hyrcanes, the high priest, and the
seventy elders of the Sanhedrin. Thus, they who had agreed with Herod that the
new Child-king must be killed came to an evil end. After that, Herod murdered
his brother, sister, wife and three sons.
Finally,
God's punishment came to him: he began to tremble, his legs became swollen, the
lower part of his body became putrid, and worms came out of the sores; his nose
became blocked and an unbearable stench emanated from him. Before his last
breath, he remembered that there were many captive Jews in prison, and he
ordered that they all be killed so that they would not rejoice in his death.
Thus, this terrible ruler gave up his inhuman soul and handed it over to the
devil for eternal possession.
HYMN
OF PRAISE: The Fourteen Thousand Holy Children of Bethlehem
A
voice in Rama was heard, and much weeping,
And
sorrowful mothers crying out to God.
In
blood lay the slaughtered children,
And,
over them, sorrowful mothers lamented.
The
city of David,
with all the surrounding region, moans;
Heaven
was horrified at the misdeed of men;
Heaven
and earth were horrified and quaked,
When
the screams of the innocent pierced the air.
The
blow intended for the Son of God
Fell
with its weight on the innocent children,
Upon
young and helpless ones of the same age as Christ.
The
servants of the wicked king attacked
Where
the angels of God sang
And
where Christ's shepherds humbly knelt.
There
a torrent of blood flowed.
Why?
In order that Herod would always be first!
As
soon as the Eternal Physician appeared on earth,
The
earth revealed its wounds and sins,
Showing
how much mankind is infected,
And
how necessary healing from heaven is.
Upon
the young forerunners of His suffering,
Christ
bestowed the eternal joy of Paradise.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Be
entreated, O Lord, by the sufferings endured for You by the Saints, and we pray
You, heal all our pain.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
As
acceptable victims and freshly plucked flowers, as divine first-fruits and
newborn lambs, you were offered to Christ who was born as a child, Holy
Innocents. You mocked Herod's wickedness; now we beseech you: "Unceasingly
pray for our souls."
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
When
the King was born in Bethlehem,
the Magi arrived from the East with gifts guided by a Star on high, but Herod
was troubled and mowed down the children like wheat; for he lamented that his
power would soon be destroyed.
Vesper Hymn in the Fourth Tone
When
the Virgin had brought Thee forth, O eternal and changeless Lord, when in Thy great
goodness Thou hadst become a babe, to Thee was offered up a choir of holy babes
in martyric blood, having pure and stainless souls and made shining in
righteousness; whom Thou tookest up to abide in Thine ever-living mansions,
where they scorn the malice of ruthless Herod's insanity.
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