The holy martyrs Galaction and Episteme were husband and wife who joined nearby monasteries immediately after their marriage. They did not see each other for many years, until the persecution of Christians which brought them both to court and saw them die on the same day in the year 253. Troparion Your martyrs, O […]
Tag Archives: catholic
Nov. 4 Our Venerable Father Joannicus the Great; The Holy Martyr Nicander, Bishop of Myra; The Priest Hermas
Our venerable father Joannicus the Great left the military after more than twenty years in arms to live as a monk and pursue solitary life in different forests of Mt. Olympus. He was accustomed to end his prayer with these words: “God my hope, Christ my refuge, Holy Spirit my protector. He fell asleep in […]
Nov. 3 The Holy Martyrs Acepsimas the Bishop, Joseph the Priest, and Aeithalas the Deacon; The Dedication of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George in Lydda
The holy martyrs Acepsimas the bishop, Joseph the priest, and Aeithalas the deacon: Acepsimas was eighty years old when the Persian king Sapor began the persecution of Christians in which Acepsimas was seized. He was interrogated, thrown into prison with Joseph and Aeithalas, and were killed when they refused to worship pagan idols in the […]
Nov. 2 The Holy Martyrs Akindynos, Pegasius, Apthonius, Elpidiphor, and Anempodistus
The holy martyrs Akindynos, Pegasius, Apthonius, Elpidiphor, and Anempodistus, and very many companions in Persia were martyred under the emperor Licinius and suffered under King Shapur II. The first three were servants at the court of King Shapur II but secretly served Christ their Lord. When they were accused and brought to trial before the […]
Nov. 1 The Holy Unmercenary Wonder-workers Cosmas and Damian
The holy wonder-workers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian and their mother, St. Theodota, were natives of Asia Minor (some sources say Mesopotamia). Their pagan father died while they were still quite small children. Their mother raised them in Christian piety. Through her own example, and by reading holy books to them, St. Theodota preserved […]
Oct. 31 The Holy Apostles Stachys, Amplius, and their Companions; The Holy Martyr Epimachus; The Blessed Martyr Theodore Romzha, Bishop of Mukachevo
The holy apostles Stachys, Amplius, and their companions were members of the Seventy Apostles. Stachys was the helper of St. Andrew the First Called, who made him bishop of Byzantium. Amplius and Urban were also fellow-workers with St. Andrew, and were made bishops of Lydda and Macedonia, respectively. Narcissus was made Bishop of Athens by […]
Oct. 30 The Holy Martyr Zenobius and his sister Zenobia
The holy martyr Zenobius was a priest who, in the severity of the persecution under the emperor Diocletian, urged others to martyrdom and himself was crowned with martyrdom. The holy martyr Zenobia, his sister, voluntarily joined Zenobius in his martyrdom in 285. Troparion Your martyrs, O Lord our God, in their struggles received incorruptible crowns […]
Oct. 29 The Holy Venerable Martyr Anastasia; Our Venerable Father Abraham the Hermit
The holy venerable martyr Anastasia was born in Rome to wealthy parents, but she was left as an orphan at the age of three. She was taken to a women’s monastery to live, under the guidance of Hegumena Sophia. When she was seventeen, the pagan governor summoned her to defend herself, which she did with […]
Oct. 28 The Holy Martyrs Terence and Neonila; Our Holy Father Stephen the Sabbaite, Composer of Canons; The Holy Martyr Paraskevia of Iconium
The holy martyrs Terence and Neolina were husband and wife from Syria, who were martyred with their seven children for their witness to Christ. Our holy father Stephen the Sabbaite was the author of many beautiful canons. He lived in the community of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, near Jerusalem. He later became bishop, and died […]
Oct. 27 The Holy Martyr Nestor; The Holy Martyr Capitolina and her servant Erotheides
The holy martyr Nestor learned of Christianity from St. Demetrius the Great Martyr. Nestor was moved to defend Christians being tortured in the arena of Salonica, and defeated the brute gladiator who was killing the innocents. The emperor Maximian ordered Nestor to be beheaded in the year 306. The holy martyr Capitolina was a noble […]