Day of Remembrance of St. Maximus the Confessor (03/02)

The name of St. Maximus the Confessor is especially revered in the Abkhaz Church, since he, together with his disciples, was exiled to the Caucasus and, according to one version, reposed on the territory of Abkhazia.

The Monk Maxim the Confessor lived in the 7th century. Having received a good education, he served as an adviser to Emperor Heraclius. In his time, the so-called Monothelite heresy appeared. Monothelites, from Greek, co-volunteers. They taught that in Jesus Christ there is only one will of God, and not two: divine and human, as the Orthodox Church teaches. Against this heresy was the IV Ecumenical Council.

Saint Maximus left the service at court, became a monk and became an abbot. In the rank of abbot, he appeared as a zealous defender of Orthodoxy in the fight against heresy: both in word and in scripture he convinced believers not to accept heretical teachings. Having gone to Rome, he convinced Pope Martin to assemble a council against heresy. Emperor Constance, who held on to heresy, considered this act of Maximus to be indignation, and together with Martin he was exiled to Chersonesos, where the holy pope died.

Saint Maxim had to suffer a lot more. Through various tortures they wanted to force him to accept heresy. Finally, they cut off his tongue and cut off his right hand to deprive him of the opportunity to defend the truth in word and deed, and the mutilated man was imprisoned. Here the holy champion of Orthodoxy languished for three years. Before his death, the Lord consoled him with His appearance. Saint Maximus died in 662.

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