The Orthodox Church honors today the Holy Mother of God, St. Cyprian of Carthage and St. Gennadius of Constantinople.
Besides the garment of the Blessed Mother of God, her girdle was also preserved among the rest of the belongings, which after the Assumption was entrusted to her by order from her to the Apostle Thomas, and then was passed on among the faithful by inheritance to each other, reports trafficnews.bg.
In the 5th century during the reign of Arcadius, son of Theodosius the Great, the girdle of St. Theotokos was brought from Jerusalem to Constantinople and placed in a precious coffin in the Blacherna Temple “St. Virgin”.
In the 10th century, the girdle of St. Theotokos was glorified by a special sign. The Byzantine empress Zoya, wife of Emperor Leo the Philosopher, after suffering from a mental illness for a long time, once received a revelation in a dream that she would immediately recover if she was entrusted with the girdle of the Most Holy Mother of God.
The king asked the patriarch and the coffin was opened. The patriarch himself spread the girdle over the sick queen and she immediately recovered. Because of the grace given, thanksgiving prayers were offered to the Lord Jesus Christ and his pure Mother.
The belt of honor was then solemnly placed back into the casket in which it had previously been kept.
In memory of this miracle over the sick queen, at the beginning of the 10th century, the holiday “Laying of the Belt of Honor to the Most Holy Mother of God” was established.
St. Saint Cyprian
Saint Martyr Cyprian (Tascius Caecilius Cyprian) is one of the Church Fathers of the third century – a time of almost continuous persecution against the Church of Christ.
He was born around 200 in Carthage (North Africa) in a rich and respected family. He received an excellent secular education and became a brilliant orator and teacher of philosophy.
He showed an interest in Christianity, got acquainted with the works of the presbyter Tertullian and, under his influence, was accepted into the Christian community in Carthage as an anointed (preparing for baptism). At that time, he gave away his property and moved to the home of Presbyter Cecilia.
A year after his Baptism, St. Cyprian was ordained a presbyter, and after the death of Bishop Donat – for a bishop.
Today the name day is celebrated by: Genna, Gennady, Gennady(y), Gennady, Gennadina, Gennadia, Genka, Genko, Geno, Gencho, Genovev, Genoveva