Bishop of Alexandria, St. Athanasius opposed Arius with admirable zeal. He has left us several works in defense of the divinity of Christ. He suffered frequent persecutions. He died in 373.
It was quite nice to be at a Byzantine Divine Liturgy for the feast day of this magnificent saint. They regard him rather highly, to say the least. One of the prayers said something about how St. Athanasius made Arius blush with shame...
Today is also the first day of the original novena, the nine days of prayer between the Ascent of our Lord and the Descent of the Holy Ghost.
Fish Eaters suggests the following prayers for day one:
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all our sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Thy sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Recite one Pater Noster, one Ave Maria, and seven Gloriae Patri.
Perhaps one could add to the above the Pentecost Sequence Veni, Sancte Spiritus.
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