ZOTIKUS THE KEEPER OF ORPHANS

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends,” says Christ in the Gospel (John 15:13). There is a dual fulfilment of this commandment. The first image, accessible only to the Lord Jesus, for He is sinless, is to suffer for the salvation of others. No one can lay down his life for another in the true biblical sense. Another image is to be betrayed and abandoned by his own. The Lord Himself in the Gospel was the first to fulfill this path. The chosen saints follow Him.

On January 12 (December 30), the day before the Leavetaking of the Nativity of Christ, the Church celebrates the memory of Saint Zoticus of Constantinople. The saint was an unmercenary, a benefactor, and a priest. He ended his life as a martyr.

There are several versions of the life of the saint, some of which are very ancient. From them we learn that Zoticus was a noble Roman citizen. In the classical era of ancient Christianity, conversion was usually accompanied by ascetic or charitable zeal. This was the time of Emperor Constantine (+337). Since the deacon ministry in the Roman Church was associated with administrative activity, and successors to the Roman bishop were chosen from among the deacons, Zotik took the rank of presbyter in order to do good to his neighbours.

Despite the legalization of Christianity after the Edict of Milan in 313, Christians in the Empire made up no more than ten percent. Rome was a city “full of idols” (Acts 17:16). In 330, Emperor Constantine founded New Rome on the Bosphorus, also called Constantinople. Driven by a missionary impulse, for from the earliest times of Christianity, mission was associated with charity, Zotik moved to the new capital. Here he opened a hospital, where he received the sick and orphans.

Over time, Zotik’s activities reached a significant scale. After Constantine’s death, his son Constantius II (337-361) openly supported the Arian heretics. Being a priest, Zotikus could not remain aloof from dogmatics. He remained a supporter of Nicene Orthodoxy.

At the same time, a large number of lepers were noticed in the City. Perhaps it was not leprosy, but some other unknown serious disease. But driven by superstition, the inhabitants began to kill the unfortunate. Military officials participated in this, referring to some instructions from the emperor. Having learned about this, Zotikus took the sick under his protection and hid them in his hospital in every possible way, saving them from reprisals. At some point, a very noble person appeared among the lepers. The crowd said that she was the daughter of the emperor himself. Thus, by a fatal coincidence, rumors about Zotikus’ deeds reached the powers that be. His Nicene Orthodoxy was also known. The refusal to participate in the cruel superstitious practice of treating lepers coincided with the accusation of embezzlement of the enormous funds donated to the hospital by Constantine the Great. The Arians, the descendants and successors of Constantine, actually deified the deceased emperor. Zotikus was arrested. “If you want to participate in the financial resources, follow our religious policy.” He was accused of heresy, embezzlement and violation of public order. Such a triple irrefutable accusation.

Having failed to obtain any confessions or concessions, the authorities ordered the saint to be tied to two mules and dragged through the streets of the city. Mutilated, he gave up his soul to God on one of the hills. This happened around the year 350. The spring at the place of the death of St. Zotik began to heal. No precautions, not even the fear of lepers could stop the veneration of the martyr by the people. In the calendars the saint is called “Zoticus the Keeper of Orphans”. In the Church he is also called as the patron of lepers. Saint Anthony of Novgorod (+1232) in the description of his pilgrimage to Constantinople testified to the veneration of the relics of the saint in the Byzantine capital.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends,” says Christ in the Gospel (John 15:13). Thus Saint Zoticus suffered for his service to the most disadvantaged, orphans, the seriously ill and lepers. He was executed by his brothers in faith, Christians, on false charges. The saint’s ideal was free medicine. This makes his memory unusually modern, and his testimony very relevant.