St Menas, Patriarch of Constantinople.

Commemorated August 25 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

He governed the Church wisely from 536 to 552. Before that, he ran the Home of St Sampson for the poor and needy (see June 27th). Pope Agapetus, who had come to Constantinople at that time to oppose and depose the heretical Patriarch, Anthimus, participated in Menas's consecration as bishop there. It is said that the following marvel came to pass in Constantinople in the time of Patriarch Menas: a Jewish boy went to church with his friends and, following their example, received Holy Communion. The boy's father, a glassblower, when he heard of his son's action, seized him and threw him into the red-hot kiln that he had prepared for the firing of glass. The boy remained shut in this kiln for three days and nights, but, when the kiln was opened, he was found alive and unharmed, preserved by God's providence.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK