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St. Alexander and the Pagan Philosophers.
During the reign of the Emperor Constantine,
the Christian Religion was constantly and rapidly
making progress.
In Constantinople itself the Pagan Philosophers
felt much aggrieved at seeing many of their adepts
deserting the old religion and joining the new.
They pleaded with the Emperor himself, demanding
that in justice they should get a hearing and
be allowed to hold a public conference with the
Bishop of the Christians. Alexander, who at the
time ruled the See of Constantinople, was a holy
man but not a keen logician.
He did not, for that fear to meet the representative
of the pagan Philosophers who was an astute
dialectician and an eloquent orator. On the
appointed day before a vast assembly of learned
men the Philosopher began a carefully prepared
attack on the Christian teaching. The Holy
Bishop listened for some time and then pronounced
the Name of Jesus which at once confounded the
Philosopher who not only completely lost the
thread of his discourse but was utterly unable,
even with the aid of his colleagues, to return to
the attack.
St Christina
St Christina a young Christian girl was a slave
in Kurdistan, a region almost entirely pagan.
It was the custom in that country when a child
was gravely ill that the mother should take it in her
arms to the houses of her friends and ask them
if they knew of any remedy that might benefit or
cure the little one. On one of these occasions a
mother brought her sick child to the boys where
Christina lived,
On being asked if she knew of a remedy for that
sickness she looked at the child and said:
“Jesus, Jesus”.
On the instant the dying child smiled and leapt
with joy. It was completely cured.
This extraordinary fact became soon known and
reached the ears of the Queen who herself was an
invalid. She gave orders that Christina should be
brought to her presence.
On arriving at the Palace the royal patient
asked her if she could with the same remedy cure
her disordet: which had baffled the skill of the
physicians. Once more Christina pronounced with
great confidence: “Jesus, Jesus”. and again this
divine Name was glorified. The Queen instantly
recovered her health.
A third wonder was yet to be worked. Some
days after the cure of the Queen the King found
himself suddenly face to face with certain death.
Escape seemed impossible. Mindful of the divine
power of the Holy Name, which he had witnessed
in the cure of his wife, his Majesty called out
Jesus, Jesus. whereupon he was snatched from the
dreadful peril. Calling in his turn for the little
slave he learned from her the truths of Christianity
which he and a great multitude of his people
embraced.
St. Christina became a saint and her feast is
kept 11 December 15th.
AnaStpaul 