Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Heralds and Harbingers of Orthodoxy: An Akathist to John Hus

Dr. Alexander Roman alex@unicorne.org

A number of converts to Orthodoxy from various traditions often continue to honour the saints and holy ones they always have throughout their lives, even as Orthodox Christians. One of these is Master John Hus who was burned at the stake in 1415 . . .

An Episcopal minister, who is now a Western-Rite Orthodox priest, had an icon written of the Anglican saint, King Charles the Martyr that became very popular with his converts. Former Franciscan monks who are now Orthodox monastics still have a love for and a veneration of St Francis of Assisi. It is no wonder, then, when there are Orthodox converts who continue in their esteem for someone like John Hus.

There were always voices within Orthodoxy, especially in the 19th century, that interpreted Hus’ mission in Bohemia as a call back to the Orthodox Christianity of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.

Celebrating liturgical prayer and communicating the faith in the language of the people, allowing the laity to participate in the Chalice at Holy Communion, a married priesthood and the like were all hallmarks of the Eastern Christian traditions first brought to the Slavic lands, including Bohemia, by the Thessalonian Brothers.

And Hus’ associate in the same cause, Jerome of Prague, later became an Orthodox Christian in Latvia – his Orthodox baptismal certificate was found and there are voices within Czech Orthodoxy about his possible glorification as an Orthodox saint!

Even the prayerbooks of the Czech Orthodox Church contain hymns in honour of their national hero and patron, John Hus. And, today, even the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Prague participates in public ceremonies in honour of Hus on the Czech national day which is, in fact, closest to the day of Hus’ death.

I once came across a Czech Orthodox priest whose parish was almost all comprised of converts from the Hussite tradition. He even commented that he would LOVE it if his church would accept the veneration of John Hus which action would, in this priest’s view, greatly enhance further conversions!

The Old Catholic Churches in the 19th century actually debated with the Orthodox Church the possibility of formal liturgical veneration of both John Hus and Jerome of Prague. And, of course, the Orthodox Church does not condemn the private veneration of those who were not formally Orthodox – something that was confirmed to me via private correspondence by Father John Meyendorff (+memory eternal!).

As someone who has written akathists based on Western themes, I offer the following akathist in honour of John Hus from within the above perspective. It is for the private use of anyone for whom the memory of John Hus is important, Western-Rite Orthodox, Anglicans, Old Catholics and Lutherans, especially those who have contacted me about it. I wrote this some years ago and it has, as I understand, been translated into German and has been sung, at least in part, in some German Lutheran parishes.

To paraphrase the great Ukrainian Orthodox poet, Taras Shevchenko: Accept this little hymn of praise in honour of the Holy Czech, the Great Martyr, the Glorious Hus!

AKATHIST TO THE HOLY MARTYR, JOHN HUS

Kontakion 1

To you, O Holy John, do we sing a joyous hymn of praise in honour of your great sufferings unto martyrdom for Christ and His holy Gospel. Let all those who love to keep feast in the Lord join together in loudly exclaiming John, a newly-revealed theologian and prophet who calls all to repentance and a transfigured life in God the Word, Jesus Christ! Today we hear this new voice in the wilderness who cries out to us to make straight the way of the Lord and our hearts magnify His servant, exclaiming:

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Ikos 1

Thou art a member of Christ’s Royal Priesthood, Righteous John. You were called to take up the sweet yoke of Jesus Christ which is not heavy because it is Christ Himself Who anoints you with the grace of His Holy Spirit to bear all things for His Name. As we marvel at the great wonders accomplished in you by God, we sing a hymn in your honour, crying:

Rejoice, lover of Christ and Him Crucified!
Rejoice, faithful client of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!
Rejoice, dedicated pastor of the flock entrusted to you by the Holy Trinity!

Rejoice, true follower of Him Who first emptied Himself for our salvation!
Rejoice, meek and humble child of God called by Him to offer spiritual sacrifices!
Rejoice, holy servant of Christ our Lord!

Rejoice, whose hands held the living Bread that comes down from Heaven!
Rejoice, whose lips were purpled with the Blood of the Spotless Lamb offered once and for all for us!
Rejoice, fervent devotee of the Most Holy Mother of God!

Rejoice, great venerator of Her holy Dormition!
Rejoice, good and holy member of the Communion of Saints!
Rejoice, wondrous man of God who lived the Angelic life as your spirit soared upwards on the wings of prayer and Divine praise!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 2

When Christ hung on the Cross for our salvation, a Title was placed in three languages above our Saviour’s Head by Pilate that read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” When leaving this earth, Jesus, our Saviour, commissioned His Apostles to preach to all nations and His Holy Spirit poured out upon them the miracle of many tongues. Inspired by the same Spirit, the Teachers of the Slavs, Cyril and Methodius, came to proclaim to a new people in the north the Good News of Jesus Christ in their own language. Standing in awe of God’s wondrous care for our salvation, we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 2

O Holy John, you understood the teaching of the Apostle Paul that it is better to say five words whose meaning is known rather than a thousand that are unknown. You had compassion on your flock because, though having ears, they could neither hear nor perceive Christ’s teaching in a foreign language. You then put on yourself the mantle of Cyril and Methodius and openly preached so that all could understand as we joyously sing:

Rejoice, worthy spiritual descendant of the Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs!
Rejoice, faithful servant of Christ who fervently teaches the Slavs!
Rejoice, lyre of the Holy Spirit Who sends down Divine Fire on earth through your preaching!

Rejoice, for you kindle a renewed spirit within us!
Rejoice, for you teach us to say a few words with understanding: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us!
Rejoice, through whose labours the Holy Spirit descends upon us as during a new Pentecost!

Rejoice, great son of the disciples of Cyril and Methodius – Clement, Gorazd, Nahum, Sava and Angelar!
Rejoice, holy spiritual offspring of the Saints of the Czech lands: Wenceslaus, Rostislav, Ludmilla, and Procopius!
Rejoice, pillar of Orthodoxy which you strongly defended as a vessel bearing the true Light for all!

Rejoice, for you call your flock to return to the spiritual well-springs of Orthodoxy which preaches Christ our Sun, Who rose in the East!
Rejoice, promoter of the Slavic tongue that has become a chalice bearing the Oil of Gladness!
Rejoice, who gives inspiration to missionaries throughout the world!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 3

As the rector at the university of Prague, you worked even more tirelessly for the correction of evils. You set upon the reformation of the morals of the clergy, teaching them they cannot serve both God and mammon. You spoke in favour of the role of good presbyteras in the lives of Christ’s priests. Seeing that your flock was without sure spiritual guidance, you took up God’s corrective rod and teaching staff as instruments of His peace among His people and we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 3

Your Bethlehem Chapel became like the Manger of old, O Righteous John! For through your preaching there, the people come to see the Holy One of Israel who is Christ the King. Through your ministry, another Bethlehem became a “House of Bread” where your flock feed upon the Word of God and on the Holy Eucharist. Our spirits are stilled in wonder at the sight of such a spiritual transfiguration of people’s souls and so we sing:

Rejoice, new shepherd whom the King of Heaven sent to feed His flocks!
Rejoice, new Wise Man who brings to Christ our Lord the gold of good deeds, the myrrh of consecrated life and the frankincense of ceaseless prayer!
Rejoice, new Joseph in awe of the miracle of the Incarnation according to the Flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour, in our souls!

Rejoice, great steward entrusted with the Bread of Life!
Rejoice, compassionate host who calls all to the Banquet of the Lord!
Rejoice, who does not leave out those in the streets and alleys, but invites everyone to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord!”

Rejoice, instrument of God’s grace, who feeds all from the Table of the Lord!
Rejoice, for you fill up the poor in spirit with good things!
Rejoice, for your icons in your chapel speak to the unlettered about God’s judgement on the proud and boastful of heart!

Rejoice, for God also prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemies!
Rejoice, for God anoints His beloved with oil and your cup, in truth, is filled to the brim!
Rejoice, partaker to the fullest in the life Christ, the Eternal Priest, Prophet and King!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 4

You were a preacher of Divine Grace, O Righteous John, for you proclaimed the acceptable time of repentance to your flock. You reformed morals and taught the people to amend their lives through constant prayer, reading of the scriptures, fasting, ascetical discipline and tending to the poor. You knew that what was impossible with men, namely, spiritual transformation, is possible only with God. You wrote to your friends who asked your guidance and you taught them as well, making us joyful as we continually sing to the Lord: Alleluia!

Ikos 4

God revealed you as a new Moses, Righteous John! By striking the rock of human pride with the staff of your teachings, you opened the flood-gates of God’s grace for all. Drinking deeply of the Divine Waters that cool our sinful passions and excite our devotion to Christ our God, we loudly exclaim:

Rejoice, Holy John, for your name is “Divine Grace!”
Rejoice, for you teach us to rely on God and not ourselves to overcome the world and the evil one!
Rejoice, for you showed us how to vanquish all vices by means of ceaseless prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Rejoice, Master John, who imparts mastery to our passions to us!
Rejoice, holy physician who prescribes needed spiritual remedies for us!
Rejoice, Good Samaritan, pouring the Oil and Wine of God’s grace upon the spiritual wounds of souls as they lie by the wayside of despair!

Rejoice, for God’s grace flows upon you as upon the beard of Aaron, to the fringes of your garments!
Rejoice, for you open your hands to us from which drips the aromatic myrrh and you bless us with God’s Oil of heavenly anointing!
Rejoice, whose tongue became as an altar, having upon it constantly the Precious Name of Jesus!

Rejoice, for you shine with the glory of Christ’s Transfiguration on Mt Tabor!
Rejoice, singular well of the Holy Spirit into which we plunge the buckets of our spiritual needs!
Rejoice, equal to the Apostles, who sets up a tent for us on the Holy Mount, teaching us that it is good for us to be near Christ, the Son of God, in Whom the Father is well-pleased!

Rejoice, Holy John, O Glorious Martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 5

O righteous John, the people of the Czech lands longed to return to the ancient Orthodox faith of their forefathers, the faith of Wenceslaus, Rostislva, Ludmilla and the holy brothers of Thessalonica who brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them in their Slavonic tongue. Armed with the testimony of the Fathers of the ancient Church, you revealed yourselves to be another Theologian. You preached in understandable words that Christ is God the Word, calling us to Theosis in union with Him through His Holy Spirit. Awed by your dedication to the Truth, we joyfully sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 5

O Holy John, the Church has in you a new Father and defender in the Czech lands. You proclaim Christ from the rooftops of Prague. Rather than the worthless bantering of philosophers and man-made traditions, you announce anew the apostolic witness of the Orthodox and Catholic Fathers of the Undivided Church. Venerating your evangelical zeal, we too ask for the grace to proclaim the Truth humbly and simply as we sing:

Rejoice, new Father of the West!
Rejoice, Shipmaster who turned lost sails toward the mainstay of Orthodox teaching!
Rejoice, Imitator of Christ who calms the turbulent seas around our boats with calls to have complete trust in God!

Rejoice, fearless captain who, in the midst of spiritual confusion, raised high the standard of the faith of the Fathers!
Rejoice, evangelical voice proclaiming the power of Holy Scripture with understanding!
Rejoice, pure angel who lives the evangelical life through prayer and surrender to God’s Will!

Rejoice, whose zeal is symbolized by the Chalice of Christ, the proclamation of the Resurrection of the Lord, and full participation in His divinizing Life!
Rejoice, filial client of the Most Holy Mother of God, the chalice that contained the Body and Blood of Christ!
Rejoice, great bearer of Christ in your body!

Rejoice, confessor of God the Father Almighty!
Rejoice, believer in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Rejoice Temple of the Holy Spirit!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 6

A righteous man is an abomination to the unjust, O faithful John. A prophet is honoured everywhere, but not in His own country. Your enemies utter useless things against thee who meekly and simply presents before them the evangelical truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Vanguished as they are by the strength of the Holy spirit that inspires you, they refuse to join with us in a hymn of praise to Him who sent you: Alleluia!

Ikos 6

O righteous John, the enemies of your household do oppress you with many arguments, forgetting the Sword of the Spirit by which truth slays all falsehood. They deride you by insulting your name of “Hus” which means “goose.” But we honour you as we sing:

Rejoice, O John Hus, the Man of God who lifts us up to heaven by the wings of your preaching and your prayers!
Rejoice, O Hus under whose caring wings of concern and compassion we find spiritual help!
Rejoice, glorious Hus who shows us the way to union with Christ in the Holy Spirit!

Rejoice, great Hus who wished to gather into your fold even your enemies, but they would not!
Rejoice, holy Hus, who extends your hands over all as a mantle of heavenly protection in this vale of tears!
Rejoice, O Hus, who flew to heaven on the wings of Divine Grace!

Rejoice, O Man of God, who indicates to us the Lord God Adonai, under Whose Wings we find true rest and Whose fringes fill ever corner of the Church!
Rejoice, O Bird of Paradise, whose teaching on prayer and the mysteries gives flight to sinful souls toward Christ!
Rejoice, Dove of Peace, who brings to us the olive branch of the Grace of the Holy Spirit!

Rejoice, Temple of the Holy Spirit, Who descends upon you like a Dove and inspires you to preach with a fiery, rational tongue!
Rejoice, for your are like the birds of the air, having care for nothing but for the Kingdom of God!
Rejoice, for a people who were lost in the sea of darkness saw a bright bird in the distance calling them to the Promised Land!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 7

Men have come together to take counsel against you, O righteous John! The emperor gives safe passage to his evangelical preacher, but, like Pilate, is found faithless in his promise to protect the innocent one. Trusting solely in Christ and His Spirit to reveal to him what he is to say before the unrighteous judges, you walk calmly and confidently before the assembly as we salute your courage, singing: Alelluia!

Ikos 7

O Holy John, your enemies know not how to judge you, seeing you bearing an angelic countenance. They draw back in fear from the presence of Him Who is with you. We ask of God the grace to likewise stand firm in defence of the Truth before the world as we sing:

Rejoice, for Christ bids you to “fear not!”
Rejoice, for legions of angels surround you!
Rejoice, for without God’s Wills, not a hair shall fall from your head!

Rejoice, for the army of Martyrs stand by you!
Rejoice, for the Apostles boast of your confidence in the Lord!
Rejoice, for the Prophets are amazed by you!

Rejoice, for you are like another Stephen, whose enemies cover their ears at your words!
Rejoice, for you continually pray for the conversion of your enemies!
Rejoice, for they rend their garments in anger against you!

Rejoice, for the Cornerstone that was rejected is for you!
Rejoice, for you do not answer the senseless charges laid against you!
Rejoice, for you open not your mouth to the condemnations uttered to you!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s Priest forever!

Kontakion 8

You were condemned unjustly, O holy confessor of the truth. Your countrymen recommended that you save your life by submitting to the unjust judges. But amazed at your faithfulness to the end, they soon sang: Alleluia!

Ikos 8

You deemed yourself blessed to have suffered sickness and pain for Christ’s sake, O Holy John. Christ the Prisoner was your constant companion and it was for Him that you endured calmly and with courage all that you did suffer, even before your martyric death. Honouring all that you underwent for your Saviour, we cry out:

Rejoice, O prisoner of Jesus Christ!
Rejoice, who endured months of darkness for Christ the Light-giver!
Rejoice, who suffered tooth-ache and illness for the Lord!

Rejoice, who underwent deprivations for the Lord Jesus!
Rejoice, whose spirit was scourged by derision and want!
Rejoice, whose mind was crowned with invisible thorns of unjust accusations!
Rejoice, whose soul was cloaked by the scorn of the great ones of this world!
Rejoice, whose humility knew no bounds!
Rejoice, companion of long-suffering martyrs!

Rejoice, for Christ sends His angels to minister to you.
Rejoice, for you kept Christ company in the spiritual garden of your soul!
Rejoice, for Christ calls you to Gethsemane to anoint you with His Sweat that became like great drops of Blood!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 9

Your enemies stripped you of your priestly robes, O great martyr, John. They place a cap on your head whereupon are depicted devils tearing at a human soul. Yet, it is their souls which are torn by evil as they think that by putting you to death they somehow do God a service. Gazing at your crown of humility and martyrdom, we sing with compunction: Alleluia!

Ikos 9

You were led away to die by fire in a cap with devils and your enemies could not endure your fiery spirit and preaching. You were fearless in accepting death for Jesus Who died for us all. As you were bound to the stake, a chain was placed about your neck to ensure that your cap of derision would not fall off during your sufferings. You accepted that chain as a symbol of your bond with Christ to the end and the cap as an emblem of your unjust condemnation. Standing in awe of your long-suffering patience, we intone:

Rejoice, champion of Christ who approaches the stake of martyrdom like an athlete running to the finishing line!
Rejoice, prisoner of Christ who bears upon your neck the symbol of His sweet yoke!
Rejoice, for you have truly become free in your martyrdom!

Rejoice, for your spirit climbed upon the pyre to Heaven!
Rejoice, for you are crowned gloriously with a crown of derision and injustice!
Rejoice, for you gaze inwardly on the meekness of Christ, crowned with thorns!

Rejoice, for you were found worthy to suffer insult for the sake of the Lord Jesus!
Rejoice, for your stake points upward to heaven where the Lord awaits you in His Kingdom!
Rejoice, for like Elijah of old, you ascend to Heaven in the midst of fiery flames!

Rejoice, for, like Elisha, your people reach for your garments, asking you not to leave them, but to intercede for them always!
Rejoice, for your union with Christ is nearing its awesome, final completion!
Rejoice, for look what is done to the wood when it is green!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel, and Christ’s Priest forever!

Kontakion 10

As the fires are lit, Blessed John, you look heavenward. You forgive your enemies their trespasses against you, asking God not to lay them to their charge. You recite the Creed and implore most humbly God’s mercy by singing the Prayer of Jesus. As the fires reach you, you continue to encourage everyone to come to the Truth which is Jesus Christ. The wind blows the flames into your face, Holy John, and you are silent, motionless as a pillar of true faith and constancy to the end. Sorrowfully, we sing a dirge in your honour, crying out: Alleluia!

Ikos 10

Your enemies ensured that the first consumed your body completely, Holy John, so that Christians would not have the comfort of any of your relics from the temple that was your martyred body. They threw your physical remains into the river and so, having oppressed the righteous man, they thought that he had come to an end. They were unable to join us in singing:

Rejoice, teacher of the Prayer of Jesus to the end!
Rejoice, confessor of the Holy Creed!
Rejoice, exemplar of the forgiveness of those who wrong us!

Rejoice, singer of God’s Majesty, even unto death!
Rejoice, who were not afraid of them who only destroy the body!
Rejoice, for the pyre seemed like a trampoline from which you jumped into the Arms of Almighty God!

Rejoice, for Christ beckons you to come to Him!
Rejoice, for the angels crown you with gold, myrtle and olive branches!
Rejoice, for the Holy Spirit envelopes you with the radiance of an aureole of glory!

Rejoice, for the Fathers of the Church receive you!
Rejoice, for the Martyrs laud your running the full course to the end!
Rejoice, for a new intercessor for us has appeared in the heavens!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 11

How are we to praise you, O Holy Martyr? How are we to sing of the glory which God has prepared for those, like you, who love Him? Eye has not seen, nor ear has heard of these thing and in the Lord’s House are many mansions. As you stand by the Throne of the Holy Trinity, in the glory of all the Angels and Saints, intercede for us who sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 11

Your people are in heart-felt sorrow over the news of your martyrdom, O Holy John. They proclaim you a Holy One of God, glorifying you in hymns and in song. Your image is placed in each and ever village, town and city of your homeland. The memorial of your martyrdom is celebrated with great zeal as you are praised as a saint and a martyr. And we join in this holy jubilation and sing:

Rejoice, patron of all Slavs!
Rejoice, protector of Prague and the Czech people!
Rejoice, defender and harbinger of Orthodox Christianity in the West!

Rejoice, promoter of the Cyrillo-Methodian heritage!
Rejoice, joy of missionaries!
Rejoice, new prophet calling for repentance in these end times!

Rejoice, for you cover us with the mantle of your intercession and heavenly aid!
Rejoice, for you earnestly pray for us at the Throne of God!
Rejoice, for you teach us the Orthodoxy of the heart!

Rejoice, for you instruct us in the Prayer of Jesus!
Rejoice, for you command us to love God with our whole heart!
Rejoice, for you guard us with your prayers and help in spiritual difficulties!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, great defender of the Gospel and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 12

O holy John, your friend and companion, Jerome of Prague, cringed at the sight of the stake of martyrdom. Having traveled to the East, he saw the fullness of the Light that comes from the East and was received into Holy Orthodoxy. Returning to Prague, Jerome proclaimed Orthodox teaching and defended your holy memory. Awed at the sight of yet another martyr in the same cause as yours, we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 12

Brought to the pyre wearing a cap similar to yours, O Holy John, Jerome looks heavenward as if to see the path taken by you earlier. As the flames engulf him, we sing:

Rejoice, Holy John, for your companion Jerome has received Orthodox baptism by water and by blood!
Rejoice, for he too is a tireless seeker of God’s Truth!
Rejoice, for he too found the Pearl of Great Price!

Rejoice, for he joins with you in praising Christ in heaven!
Rejoice, for he is the first-fruit of your martyrdom!
Rejoice, for he is the first defender of your teaching!

Rejoice, for his martyrdom, like yours, watered the fertile ground for the growth of Orthodoxy among your followers!
Rejoice, as he is a true pillar of Orthodox faith in the Czech and Slovak lands!
Rejoice, for he joins you in intercession for us all!

Rejoice, for like his namesake who translated the Bible, he too entered a Bethlehem Chapel to hear the Word of God from your lips!
Rejoice, for he inspires all to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified!
Rejoice, for the disciple is finally united with his teacher in the heavenly mansions!

Rejoice, Holy John, O glorious martyr, holy defender of the Gospel, and Christ’s priest forever!

Kontakion 13

Your charity toward us is beyond all telling, O Holy Martyr John! You bedewed our souls with the fragrant myrrh of your evangelical preaching. You strengthen our spirits with your call to us to live the liturgical life of the Church. You inspire us with your example of steadfastness in defending Orthodox tradition. Guide us still throughout our lives and broaden our hearts to receive God’s Divine love and grace until we reach the heavenly Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit where we shall ceaselessly glorify God forever, singing: Alleluia!

(Kontakion 13 is repeated three times. Then are read Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1).

Prayer to the Holy Martyr John Hus

O Holy John, accept these songs of praise and supplication that we offer you who has boldness before the Throne of Christ. Pray for us all and continue to be our teacher in the ways of the Lord. Inspire us with your Evangelical zeal, strengthen us with your love of Orthodox faith and tradition, and confirm us in your Catholic vision. Help us to learn and practice the Orthodoxy of the heart that guided you throughout your life and that made you fearless before your enemies and at the stake of your martyrdom. Enliven our spirits with the flames of your fiery preaching. Pray unto Christ our God that we may likewise be steadfast in confessing Him until the end. Intercede for us that we also may have a portion of your spiritual joy to praise God and live according to the law of His Love all the days of our lives. Amen.

[ Home ] [ Articles ] [ Prayer ] [ Saints ] [ Theophilus ] [ Q & A ] [About Us] [ ]