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resurrection unto incorruption, the assumption to the paternal bosom. Likewise also Luke, being a disciple of Paul, followed the same path as those before him. John therefore alone, sitting as a fisherman from a vantage point, and becoming a spectator of others fishing, when he saw that the chief point of knowledge had been omitted by him, he handles the fishing-rod of the Gospel, and from it he catches the sought-after fish, and sells this without price to the faithful, crying, In the beginning was the Word. Not from when Mary, he says, his supposed mother, did Christ take his beginning; not from when Joseph was called his father, does he have his existence; nor from when Moses, nor from when Abraham, the father of all before the law; but, In the beginning was the Word. For nothing is more ancient than the beginning, nothing is older than the beginning; every created thing begins, and is under a beginning; but the Son is the beginning of all things, and as creator he is the beginning of all things. Everything comprehended by the beginning is newer; but the beginning alone holds the seniority of eternity. But let us see the just James; for although the other James, who is called the Just, received the special title of "the just," yet he will not envy his fellow apostle such a prize. Therefore the son of Zebedee is also rich in many achievements of the Gospel; but for the present, for the purpose of an encomium, it is sufficient that for the love of the Master he gladly had his head cut off.

For Herod, as Luke recounts in the Acts, kills this man. These are the athletes of piety, these are the ministers of the evangelical proclamations. But crowds and cities run together to see one victor returning from the Olympic games, and this one crowned with laurel leaves; but we have beheld not one, but three contestants, contestants for the Trinity, who contended for the Trinity and were crowned, who have come to us in a merciful gathering. And yet every tongue dares the impossible, trying to recount the praises of one of these, and the mind grows dizzy, being forced to measure out a sea of virtues with a cup; but nevertheless we have attempted it, showing the fruit of our gratitude to the fathers. Two days ago the birthday festival of the all-king Christ was completed; fittingly, therefore, these splendid contests were carried out by the pentathlete contestants in honor of the Lord's birth. This is also accustomed to happen among those outside; for the rulers honor the royal births in the cities; but there the one who has conquered has reaped the pleasure of a shadow and of temporary joy; but here the prizes for the victors are immortal, the crowns are eternal, the joy is with angels, the splendor is with the saints in the resurrection.

These 61.723 privileges are laid up for these contests; by whose intercessions may we also be preserved, and may this 61.724 good shepherd be granted to us for many decades of years in Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

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ἐπ' ἀφθαρσίᾳ ἀνάστασιν, τὴν πρὸς τὸν πατρικὸν κόλπον ἀνάληψιν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λουκᾶς, Παύλου τυγχάνων μαθητὴς, τὴν αὐτὴν τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἔτριψεν ὁδόν. Ἰωάννης τοίνυν μόνος, ὡς ἁλιεύς τις ἐξ ἀπόπτου καθήμενος, καὶ ἑτέρων ἁλιευόντων θεατὴς γενόμενος, ὡς εἶδεν αὐτῷ τῆς γνώσεως τὸ κεφάλαιον παραλειφθὲν, μεταχειρίζεται τὸν ἁλιευτικὸν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου κάλαμον, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸν ζητούμενον ἰχθὺν θηρεύει, καὶ τοῦτον ἀπράτως τοῖς πιστοῖς πιπράσκει βοῶν, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Οὐκ ἀφ' οὗ Μαρία, φησὶν, ἡ νομισθεῖσα μήτηρ, ἀρχὴν ἔλαβεν ὁ Χριστός· οὐκ ἀφ' οὗ Ἰωσὴφ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐχρημάτισε, τὴν ὕπαρξιν ἔχει· οὐδ' ἀφ' οὗ Μωϋσῆς, οὐδ' ἀφ' οὗ Ἀβραὰμ, ὁ πρὸ νόμου πάντων πατήρ· ἀλλ' Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Ἀρχῆς δὲ οὐδὲν ἀρχαιότερον, ἀρχῆς οὐδὲν πρεσβύτερον· πᾶν ποίημα ἄρχεται, καί ἐστιν ὑπὸ ἀρχήν· πάντων δὲ ἀρχὴ Υἱὸς, καὶ πάντων ἐστὶν ὡς ποιητὴς ἀρχή. Πᾶν τῇ ἀρχῇ παραλαμβανόμενον, νεώτερον· μόνη δὲ τὰ πρεσβεῖα τῆς ἀϊδιότητος κατέχει ἡ ἀρχή. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν δίκαιον Ἰάκωβον· εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἐπίκλησιν ἐξαίρετον ὁ ἄλλος Ἰάκωβος ἔλαχεν, ὁ χρηματίζων ∆ίκαιος, ἀλλ' οὐ φθονήσει τοῦ τοιούτου γέρως τῷ συναποστόλῳ. Πολλοῖς τοίνυν καὶ ὁ υἱὸς Ζεβεδαίου πλουτεῖ τοῖς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου κατορθώμασιν· ἀρκεῖ δὲ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν εἰς ἐγκωμίου λόγον, τὸ ὑπὲρ τοῦ δεσποτικοῦ φίλτρου ἡδέως τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθῆναι.

Τοῦτον γὰρ Ἡρώδης, ὡς ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἱστορεῖ, ἀναιρεῖ. Οὗτοι τῆς εὐσεβείας οἱ ἀθληταὶ, οὗτοι τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν κηρυγμάτων οἱ διάκονοι. Ἀλλ' ἕνα μὲν ἐξ Ὀλυμπιακῶν ἐπανελθόντα στεφανίτην δῆμοι καὶ πόλεις ἰδεῖν συντρέχουσι, καὶ ταῦτα φύλλοις δάφνης ἐστεφανωμένον· ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐχ ἕνα, ἀλλὰ τρεῖς ἀγωνιστὰς, ὑπὲρ Τριάδος ἀγωνιστὰς, ὑπὲρ Τριάδος ἀθλήσαντας καὶ στεφανωθέντας, πρὸς ἡμᾶς παραγενομένη ἐλεάσονι συνδρομὴ τεθεάμεθα. Καίτοι τῶν ἀμετρίων κατατολμᾷ πᾶσα γλῶσσα, ἑνὸς τούτων τοὺς ἐπαίνους διεξιέναι πειρωμένη, καὶ ἰλιγγιᾷ ἡ διάνοια, θάλασσαν ἀρετῶν κοτύλῃ ἐκμετρεῖν βιαζομένη· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπεχειρήσαμεν, τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης ἐπιδεικνύμενοι τοῖς πατράσι τὸν καρπόν. Πρὸ δύο ἡμερῶν γενεθλιακὴ τοῦ παμβασιλέως Χριστοῦ πανήγυρις διηνύσθη· εἰκότως τοιγαροῦν οἱ λαμπροὶ ἀγῶνες οὗτοι εἰς τιμὴν τῆς ∆εσποτικῆς γεννήσεως ὑπὸ τῶν πεντάθλων ἀγωνιστῶν ἐξετελέσθησαν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν συμβαίνειν εἴωθε· τὰς γὰρ βασιλικὰς γεννήσεις ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν οἱ ἄρχοντες τιμῶσιν· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ μὲν ὁ νενικηκὼς, σκιᾶς καὶ προσκαίρου χαρᾶς ἐτρύγησεν ἡδονήν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἀθάνατα τοῖς στεφανίταις τὰ βραβεῖα, αἰωνίζοντες οἱ στέφανοι, ἡ μετ' ἀγγέλων χαρὰ, ἡ μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει λαμπρότης.

Ταῦτα 61.723 τούτοις ἀπόκειται τοῖς ἀγωνίσμασι τὰ προνόμια· ὧν ταῖς πρεσβείαις καὶ ἡμεῖς διαφυλαχθείημεν, καὶ ὁ 61.724 καλὸς οὗτος ποιμὴν εἰς πολλὰς δεκάδας ἡμῖν ἐνιαυτῶν χαρισθείη ἐν Χριστῷ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.