Saint Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, recounts the story of Saint Musa, who, having seen the Most Holy Theotokos in a dream, decided to leave behind the pleasures of childhood and dedicate herself to a life pleasing to God. She told her parents of the vision and revealed that in thirty days she would depart from this earthly life to join the choir of virgins accompanying the Mother of God.
On the twenty-fifth day after her vision, Musa fell ill, while on the thirtieth day she again saw Theotokos calling her. She replied, “I am coming, my Lady, I am coming!” With these words, Musa entrusted her soul into the hands of the Virgin Mary and entered the Kingdom of God.
Archdeacon Peter once asked Saint Gregory whether the souls of the righteous can be received into heaven even before their separation from the body. Saint Gregory replied that not all, but only those who have lived in a way pleasing to God, will dwell in heaven after death, as both the Lord and the Apostle Paul have testified.
On this same day, we also commemorate our holy father George, Bishop of Mytilene, who was appointed to the episcopal throne in the year 842.
We likewise commemorate the holy martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, who suffered during the reign of Diocletian.
Finally, the Church celebrates the translatio of the relics of the Venerable Ephraim the Wonderworker of Novgorod, who reposed on September 26, 1523. The translation of his relics took place on May 16, 1545.
