During a ninth-century war between the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus and the Saracens, the Saracens managed to besiege the city of Ammoria. As a result of treason by the military commander Baditses, Ammoria fell and forty-two of its generals were taken captive and sent off to Syria. During the seven years of their imprisonment, their captors tried in vain to persuade them to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. The captives stubbornly resisted all their seductive offers and bravely held out against terrible threats. After many torments failed to break the spirit of the Christian soldiers, they condemned them to death, hoping to shake the determination of the saints before executing them. The martyrs remained steadfast. The executioners took each one separately and led him off to be beheaded, then threw the bodies into the River Euphrates. In the service of them, these holy passion-bearers are glorified as : the “All-Blessed” Theodore, the “Unconquered” Callistus, the “Valiant” Constantine, the “Wondrous” Theophilus, and “the Most Blessed” Basoes. Saint Aetius and Melissenus were also among the martyrs.
O Lord our God, your holy martyrs have deserved the crown of immortality on account of their good fight. Armed with your strength, they vanquished their persecutors and crushed Satan’s dreadful might. Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
We bring crowns of glory to these newly appearing stars who manifested their faith by suffering for Christ. As real pillars and helpers of Christ’s reign, they pray to Him on behalf of all of us.
Genesis 9:18 – 10:1
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japeth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.
Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some wine, became drunk, and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness, and he told his two brothers outside. Shem and Japeth, however, took a robe, and holding it on their shoulders, they walked backward and covered their father’s nakedness; since their faces were turned the other way, they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah woke up from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said:
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.”
He also said:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! Let Canaan be his slave. May God expand Japeth, and may he dwell among the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.”
Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. The whole lifetime of Noah was nine hundred and fifty years; then he died.
These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth, to whom children were born after the flood.
Proverbs 12:23 – 13:9
The shrewd conceal knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim folly.
The diligent hand will govern, but sloth makes for forced labor.
Worry weighs down the heart, but a kind word gives it joy.
The just act as guides to their neighbors, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Sloth does not catch its prey, but the wealth of the diligent is splendid.
In the path of justice is life, but the way of abomination leads to death.
A wise son loves correction, but the scoffer heeds no rebuke.
From the fruit of the mouth one enjoys good things, but from the throat of the treacherous comes violence.
Those who guard their mouths preserve themselves; those who open wide their lips bring ruin.
The appetite of the sluggard craves but nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is amply satisfied.
The just hate deceitful words, but the wicked are odious and disgraceful.
Justice guards one who walks honestly, but sin leads the wicked astray.
One acts rich but has nothing; another acts poor but has great wealth.
People’s riches serve as ransom for their lives, but the poor do not even hear a threat.
The light of the just gives joy, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Tuesday, March 5 –
