Megabit 1 — March 10

Saint Barkosos, the Faithful Bishop of Jerusalem

Today we remember a kind church father named Saint Barkosos. He became the bishop of the great city of Jerusalem, which meant he led many churches and watched over all of God's people there. He loved the Christians dearly, and he cared for them faithfully, the way Jesus' apostles once did.

But hard days came. A new ruler did not like Christians and treated them unkindly, so many had to leave their homes and hide to stay safe. Barkosos went far away into the desert to pray, and his people could not find him. While he was gone, two other bishops took care of the church. When the hard days were over at last, Barkosos came back home to his church, happy to serve again.

By then Barkosos was very, very old and tired. He asked his people to choose a new bishop to help him, but they loved him too much to let him go. So God sent him a helper. On the joyful morning of the Resurrection, the day we call Easter, a voice in the church told them to go to one of the city gates and welcome the first man who walked out. There they met a good visitor named Iskander, and they gently asked him to stay and help Barkosos. Iskander helped him for the rest of his life.

Barkosos served God for thirty-six years as bishop, and he lived to be one hundred and sixteen years old! He pleased God in everything, and he died in peace.

He pastured his people well and truly, like the Apostles.

Saint Iskander, the Brave Friend

We also remember the holy Iskander, who came from the city of Rome. Some people write his name as Alexander. He loved God with his whole heart and would not bow down to the statues that a cruel ruler called gods.

The ruler tried hard to make Iskander stop loving Jesus, and he hurt him in many ways. But Iskander stayed brave and faithful, and he would not change his mind. In the end he gave his life for God. That is why we call him a martyr: he stayed true to God even when it cost him everything.

Iskander was not afraid, because he knew he was going home to God. God gave him a beautiful crown in heaven, the way a king hands a prize to a winner. His courage still helps us be brave when doing the right thing is hard.

He would not bow down to anything but the one true God.

Mercurius the Bishop, and Methuselah Who Lived So Long

Today we also remember a holy bishop named Mercurius, who served God and cared for God's people.

And we remember a man from long, long ago in the Bible named Methuselah. He was the son of Enoch, and he became the father of a boy named Lamech. Methuselah is famous for one thing above all: he lived longer than anyone else in the whole Bible, nine hundred and sixty-nine years!

That is older than great-great-great-grandparents put together. It reminds us that every single day of our lives is a gift from God, who has loved His people since the very beginning of the world.

And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years.— Genesis 5:27