St Menas, Patriarch of Constantinople (+552)

Saint Menas, Patriarch of Constantinople (536–552), at first served as a presbyter in Constantinople and was overseer of the shelter for the infirm of the Venerable Sampson the Hospitable, in the reign of Saint Justinian I (527–565). The father, richly adorned with virtues and a bold confessor of Orthodoxy, was enthroned on the patriarchal throne of Constantinople after the deposition of the heretic Anthimus (535–536). His consecration was performed by Agapetus, Pope of Rome (535–536), who was then in Constantinople. During the patriarchate of the hierarch Menas a miracle took place in Constantinople which became known throughout the whole city.

A Jewish child went into a church and received Communion of the holy Blood and Body of Christ. When he told his father at home about it, his father was terribly enraged; he seized the boy and threw him into a red-hot furnace, and said nothing to his wife. The desperate mother searched for her son for three days, weeping and calling him aloud, until at last he answered her from the heated furnace. The mother brought the child out of it with difficulty, and he proved to be completely unharmed. The boy said that a radiant Lady had come to him, had quenched the heat of the fire, and had brought him water and food. The hierarch Menas and Saint Justinian I learned of this. Mother and son were baptised, but the hard-hearted father, in spite of the great miracle he had witnessed, would not repent of his sin. Then the emperor handed him over to the court as a murderer and had him put to death. Patriarch Menas governed the Church of Constantinople for sixteen years. The famous church of Hagia Sophia was consecrated during his patriarchate. The holy hierarch reposed in peace in 552.