[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Fri Dec 28 05:00:16 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Dec 28 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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James 2:1-13
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings,
in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy
clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to
him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You
stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges
with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised
to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you
and drag you into the courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the
law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point,
he is guilty of all.
11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not
murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you
have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of
liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Mark 12:1-12
1 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a
vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and
built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far
country.
2 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he
might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.
3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones,
wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others,
beating some and killing some.
6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to
them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and
destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.
10 Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the
builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
11 This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for
they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and
went away.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Afterfeast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ
On December 28, the Afterfeast of the Nativity Feast, the Orthodox
Church remembers the 20, 000 martyrs of Nicomedia were burned in their
church while celebrating the Nativity of the Lord in 302.
_________________________________________________________________
20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus (Cyril's successor) with
her faithful servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them,
and both received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Glycerius of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
St Glycerius was a priest who perished in the church with the 20,000
Martyrs of Nicomedia.
The emperor Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told the
Christians they could escape punishment if they renounced Christ.
Otherwise, he promised to burn the church and those in it. The priest
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded that Glycerius be
arrested and put on trial.
The executioners tortured the martyr, who did not cease to pray and to
call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force St Glycerius stop
confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned to death.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Zeno of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command the regimental
commander Zeno was arrested for openly criticizing the emperor for his
impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally beheaded.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Theophilus of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The Deacon Theophilus was captured during the persecution against
Christians. They subjected him to torture, trying to learn where
Bishop Anthimus was hiding. The holy martyr endured everything, while
revealing nothing. Then they executed him and others. Though they were
executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage and
received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Dorotheus of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into
prison. Bishop Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them.
One of the messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They
subjected him to torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding.
The holy martyr endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they
executed him and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his
letter. Though they were executed in different ways, they all showed
the same courage and received their crowns from God.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Mardonius of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into
prison. Bishop Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them.
One of the messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They
subjected him to torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding.
The holy martyr endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they
executed him and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his
letter. Though they were executed in different ways, they all showed
the same courage and received their crowns from God.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Migdonius of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into
prison. Bishop Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them.
One of the messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They
subjected him to torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding.
The holy martyr endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they
executed him and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his
letter. Though they were executed in different ways, they all showed
the same courage and received their crowns from God.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Indes of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Gorgonius of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Peter of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Euthymius of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Virginmartyr Agape of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Virginmartyr Domna of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Virginmartyr Theophila of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth
century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy
Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all
Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the
bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and
life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members
of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.
The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time.
Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and
the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn
more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian
girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus with her faithful
servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both
received holy Baptism.
Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the
assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial
kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the
imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the
food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order
to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained
silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing
all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to
exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and
did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live
among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and
she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in
men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.
During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a
search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent
for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters
were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one
of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila
was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the
Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the
cathedral.
At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to
the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of
the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square.
Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his
rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the
emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.
Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they
could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he
promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter
Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith,
even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited
the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius
be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did
not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force
St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned
to death.
On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about
20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the
emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that
soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to
leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the
emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All
those present refused to worship the idols.
As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus,
baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy
Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them
were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the
den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to
escape the fire.
Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of
Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they
would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The
emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested
the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor
for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally
beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the
idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.
The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius,
Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop
Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the
messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to
torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr
endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him
and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though
they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage
and received their crowns from God.
For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained
herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for
a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not
found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea
shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs
Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.
St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the
fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the
martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over
them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr
Indes.
After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these
graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them,
sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an
unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed
Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius
was also executed along with Domna.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Ignatius of Loma and Yaroslav
Saint Ignatius of Loma and Yaroslav: The circumstances of his life
while still in the world are unknown. He started his ascetic path at
the Priluki monastery of the Savior at Vologda, and he received
monastic tonsure at the St Cyril of White Lake monastery. St Ignatius
then departed to the vicinity of Loma and there founded a wilderness
monastery, which gradually attracted disciples. Later, he withdrew to
a forest skete and pursued asceticism in silence.
_________________________________________________________________
Apostle Nicanor the Deacon of the Seventy
Saint Nicanor, Apostle of the Seventy was among the first deacons in
the Church of Christ. In the Acts of the Holy Apostles (6: 1-6) it is
said that the twelve Apostles chose seven men: Stephen, Philip,
Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, full of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom, and established them to serve as deacons.
The Holy Church celebrates their memory together on July 28, although
they died at various times and in various places.
St Nicanor suffered on that day when the holy Protomartyr Stephen and
many other Christians were killed by stoning.
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Venerable Simon the Myrrh-gusher of Mt Athos
Saint Simon the Myrrh-Gusher lived an ascetical life on Mt Athos, and
was glorified by many miracles. He was the founder of the New
Bethlehem monastery, now known as Simonopetra. One night, he saw a
star of such brightness that he thought it must be the Star of
Bethlehem. Seeing the star remain motionless for several nights, he
thought at first that it was a demonic temptation. On the eve of the
Lord's Nativity the star stood over a high rock, and St Simon heard a
voice say, "Here, O Simon, you must lay the foundations of your
monastery for the salvation of souls." He built the monastery and
called it New Bethlehem.
He reposed in the year 1287, and his holy relics exude myrrh.
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