Saint Alexis the Man of God Poster

This poster features an icon of the Saint Alexis the Man of God painted by iconographer M.A. Sabbato. ©2012 ~ICONAgrafo Saint Alexis the Man of God Saint Alexis the Man of God (also Alexios or Alexius; Gr. Αλεξιος) was a fourth-century monastic who is known for his dedication to the God in anonymity. The only son of Euphemianus, a wealthy Christian Roman of the senatorial class, Alexios successfully studied the mundane sciences, but it was with particular diligence that he read Holy Scripture. Early on there burned within him the desire to leave the world and serve God. He fasted strictly, distributed alms and beneath his fine clothing he secretly wore a hair shirt. His parents, however, had arranged for Alexios to marry a beautiful and virtuous bride. On his wedding night, when the young spouses were left alone, Alexios came up to his virgin-wife, gave her a gold ring and a precious belt and said: "Preserve this, and may God be between thee and me until the time that His grace will arrange something new for us." Having said this, Alexios withdrew. Secretly leaving his home, he boarded a ship sailing for Mesopotamia. 
Arriving in the city of Edessa, Alexios sold everything that he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Theotokos under a portico. The saint used a portion of the alms he received to buy bread and water, and he distributed the rest to the aged and infirm. When after seventeen years Alexios returns to Rome no one recognized him. His body was withered by fasting, his comeliness vanished, his stature diminished. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father's permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard when Alexios continued to fast and spent day and night at prayer. He humbly endured insults and jeering from the servants of his father. St Alexios dwelt at the house of his parents for another seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them. 
On the day of St Alexios' death in 411, the Pope Innocent (402-417) was serving Liturgy in the presence of the emperor Honorius (395-423) During the services a Voice was heard from the altar: "Come unto Me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt.11:28). All those present fell to the ground in terror. The Voice continued: "On Friday morning the Man of God comes forth from the body; have him pray for the city, that you may remain untroubled." They began to search throughout Rome, but they did not find the saint. Thursday evening the Pope was serving Vigil in the Church of St Peter. He asked the Lord to show them where to find the Man of God.

After Liturgy the Voice was heard again in the temple: "Seek the Man of God in the house of Euphemianus." All hastened there, but the saint was already dead. His face shone like the face of an angel, and his hand clasped the paper. When the letter was read, the righteous one's wife and parents tearfully venerated his holy relics. 
The body of the saint was placed in the centre of the city. The emperor and the Pope carried the body of the saint into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble crypt. A fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, bestowing healing upon the sick.

The venerable relics of St Alexios, the Man of God, were buried in the church of St Boniface. Later, the honorable head of St. Alexios was given as a gift to the Great Lavra monastery in Mount Athos by the Byzantine emperor Emanuel Paleologos in 1398. . Till this day St. Alexios is the patron saint of Kalavrita, Greece where his skull still resides for veneration. A great feast takes place on the feast of St. Alexios with numerous pilgrims attending the all-night vigil. In the morning of the feast a procession takes place with the skull where it is brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Kalavrita where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.

St. Alexios is also highly honoured in Patras. The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates St Alexios on 17 March. Five Byzantine Emperors, four Emperors of Trebizond and son of the last Russian Emperor-- Tsesarevich Alexei Romanov have borne his name.