Homily by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

At the Great Vespers of Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-Streamer

Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

Jamaica, New York

October 25, 2022

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,

Tonight, we enter into the feast of your heavenly patron, the Holy Great-Martyr Demetrios the Myrrh-Streamer. This mighty protector of Thessaloniki is known throughout the world as an example of the highest fidelity to God. He was a man of supreme rank in the military, as well as a favored commander of the pagan Roman Empire, who recognized only one king – the King of Kings, our Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight, we chanted:

Ὢ τοῦ παραδόξου θαύματος! ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ λογχευθείς, ὁ τρισμάκαρ Δημήτριος…

What a paradox! What a marvel! The thrice-blessed Demetrios is pierced by a lance for the sake of Christ….*

There is in this manner of his martyrdom, a very significant connection with the Divine Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a lesson for all of us. Saint Demetrios receives a manner of torment and death that imitates the Lord. And this is one of the reasons why a liturgical Holy Week of the Saint was composed and is chanted in Thessaloniki to this day.

The Lord was pierced by the Lance, revealing the final wound in His Sacred Body – with the first ones being, of course:

1) The crown of thorns placed upon His holy head,

2) The lacerations on His sacred back from the flagellation,

3) The nails in His life-giving hands, and

4) The nails in his precious feet.

All of these were made while the Lord was still alive. It is the final wound, the piercing of His holy side, that occurs only after He willingly expired. And why is this important?

Because, my beloved Christians, as the Gospel of John tells us, and the priests perform when they ceremonially pierce the Amnos at the Service of Proskomide, when the gifts of Bread and Wine are prepared:

Εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν λόγχῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυξε, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξῆλθεν αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ. Καὶ ὁ ἑωρακὼς μεμαρτύρηκε, καὶ ἀληθινὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία….

One of the soldiers stabbed his side with a lance and there was an instant outpouring of blood and water. Indeed, he who saw it gives his testimony, and his testimony is truthful…. †

In the flowing water and blood that came from the Lord’s side, we behold the essential and foundational Sacraments of the Church: Baptism and Eucharist. This is a creative moment of the Church, similar to the creation of Eve in the Book of Genesis, when it says:

The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and while he slept, God took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and from the rib which the Lord God had taken out of the man, He made woman….‡

I hope that you see the similarities – Adam slept, and Eve was brought out of his side. Our Lord Jesus slept in death on the Cross, and from His side came forth His Bride – the Church – in the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

Our Saint Demetrios was pierced for the sake of the Lord, as the hymn we chanted says. You see, my beloved Christians, how the Holy Demetrios participates in the formation of the Church through his martyrdom. He gives his body to the Body of Christ and endures the same sufferings as the Lord, so that he might establish the Church throughout the oikoumene. And as we all know, the name of Saint Demetrios is honored around the world, and his sacrifice has proven victorious.

Therefore, my beloved Christians, let us celebrate this man of God, this godly man, whose life and death proved to be life-giving to the Church. And let us honor our Baptisms and our Communion with the Lord, which the Lord gave to us upon His Holy Cross, and which the Saint of God affirmed through his martyrdom. Through the intercessions of the Holy Great-Martyr and Myrrh-Streamer Demetrios.

Amen.