St Gregory of Agrigentum

Commemorated November 23

St Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum, was born in the village of Pretorium on Sicily, not far from the city of Agrigentum, of the. The Bishop Pataimonus of Agrigentum baptized the infant Gregory. At the age of ten years old, the studious boy mastered writing and was able to read, and to sing church hymns. At twelve years old, his pious parents Chariton and Theodota gave him to the clergy, and he was put under the spiritual guidance of the Archdeacon Donatus.

St Gregory spent the next ten years in the Agrigentum church. Then, however, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, who had a fervent desire to visit Jerusalem, and said that God had blessed his intention. At Jerusalem St Gregory was presented to Patriarch Macarius (563-574 AD), who retained the pious youth for service in his own cathedral church, ordaining him Deacon. The soul of St Gregory thirsted for monastic labours, and the Patriarch gave his blessing, allowing him go to a monastery on the Mount of Olives.

After a year, St Gregory departed this monastery for a desert Elder, who for four years taught him spiritual wisdom, humility and the principles of monastic life. The ascetic, foreseeing in St Gregory a future great luminary of the Church, gave him a blessing to forsake the solitary life. Having left the Elder, St Gregory dwelt for a certain time at Jerusalem, and then went to Constantinople, where the brethren of the monastery of the holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus received him with love. Patriarch Eutychios of Constantinople (552-565 AD) noticed the ascetic efforts of St Gregory, at whose insistence the Saint participated in the Fifth Ecumenical Council (553 AD).

At the completion of the Council St Gregory set off for Rome, to venerate the graves of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. During this time the Bishop of Agrigentum died. The elder clergy and illustrious citizens of Agrigentum journeyed to Rome with a request for the Pope to determine a successor for their late hierarch from among a list of candidates they were presenting. The Pope, however, declined their proposal through divine inspiration, and instead summoned St Gregory to serve them as Bishop.

St Gregory peacefully guided the flock entrusted to him by God for a few years. He was a defender of the downtrodden, a wise preacher, and miraculous healer. As Bishop, St Gregory led the life of an ascetic monk, fervently observing monastic vows. The flock loved their hierarch and trusted in him. However, there were also malicious people who had resolved to slander him. While St Gregory was in church, these vicious people secretly led a bribed harlot into his chambers, and then in front of the crowd, which accompanied the Bishop to the doors of his house after services, they led her out, accused St Gregory of the deadly sin of fornication, and placed him under guard. The people attempted to defend their Bishop, but were unsuccessful. At the trial, the harlot gave false testimony against St Gregory. Just as she pronounced the words of slander, she went into a fit of frenzied rage, and the judges accused the Saint of sorcery. St Gregory was sent for judgement to the Roman Bishop together with a report about his "crimes".

The Pope, after reading the charges, did not want to see the accused, and gave orders to remand him to prison. The Saint endured his humiliation humbly, dwelling in constant prayer. His prayerful effort and wonderworking gifts quickly became known through the city and the surrounding region. Pious Romans began to gather at the prison, whom the imprisoned Saint taught about the righteous life, and he implored the Lord to heal the sick.

After two years, a clairvoyant Elder named Mark, who had known St Gregory since youth, came to the Pope. The Elder did not believe the charges and he persuaded the Pope to convene a Synod to decide Gregory's case. At the invitation of the Pope, many clergy from the city of Agrigentum came, together with all those making accusations against the Saint, including the harlot. Three Bishops from Constantinople and the imperial dignitary Marcian came to Rome. Along the way, Marcian had fallen grievously ill, and on the advice of many people who had received healing through the prayers of St Gregory, servants carried the dying man to the prison where the wonderworking Saint suffered. Through the prayers of St Gregory the Lord granted healing to Marcian.

At the Synod, the slanderers attempted to renew their accusations, and they presented the deranged harlot as their chief proof to the judge, declaring that Gregory had bewitched her. However, the Saint prayed over her and cast out the devil. The woman came to her senses and told the Synod the truth, and the slanderers were brought to shame and judged. Marcian even wanted to execute them, but St Gregory implored forgiveness for them.

St Gregory returned in honour to his own cathedral, and surrounded by the love of his flock, he guided the Church until he peacefully slept in the Lord.