Lives of the Saints
1. THE TWENTY THOUSAND HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA
In the time of the wicked Emperor Maximian Herculius the Christian faith flourished in Nicomedia and increased from day to day. Once when the emperor was staying in that city, the emperor learned of the multitude of Christians and the advancement of the Christian Church, and the emperor became very embittered and devised a plan how to destroy them all. At that time the feast of the Nativity of Christ was approaching, and the emperor, learning that all Christians gather in church for that feast, commanded that on that day the church be surrounded by soldiers and set on fire. When all the Christians had gathered in the church after midnight and began the solemn celebration, the soldiers surrounded the church so as not to let anyone out, and the emperor's envoy entered the church and proclaimed to the Christians the emperor's command, that they either immediately offer sacrifice to idols or all be burned. Then the archdeacon, a valiant soldier of Christ, was inflamed with divine zeal and began to encourage the people, reminding the faithful of the three youths in the Babylonian furnace. "Look, brethren," he said, "at the altar in the sanctuary of the Lord and understand that now upon it the Lord and our true God has sacrificed Himself for us; shall we then not lay down our souls for Him in this holy place!" The people were inspired to die for Christ, and all who were catechumens were baptized and chrismated. The soldiers then set fire to the church on all sides, and the Christians, twenty thousand of them in number, burned in the flames singing the glory of God. For five days afterward the church burned, and some smoke rose from it with an intoxicating and wondrous fragrance, and a certain strange golden-radiant light appeared in that place. Thus gloriously died many men and women, maidens and children, and they received the crown of eternal glory in the Kingdom of Christ. They suffered and were glorified in the year 302.
2. VENERABLE SIMEON THE MYRRH-FLOWING
Simeon was the founder of the monastery of Simonopetra on Mount Athos. Simeon was glorified by ascetic labors, visions and miracles. Simeon reposed peacefully and passed to Christ in the year 1257.
3. THE HOLY MARTYR DOMNA
Domna was a virgin and priestess of foul idols at the court of Emperor Maximian. Having read somewhere the Acts of the Holy Apostles, Domna believed in Christ and was baptized, together with the eunuch Indes, by Bishop Cyril in Nicomedia. Saint Cyril directed Domna to a women's monastery, where the abbess was blessed Agatha. But when the emperor began to search for Domna, Agatha dressed Domna in male clothing and sent Domna to a men's monastery. At that time twenty thousand Christians were burned by Emperor Maximian in the church. Immediately afterward by the emperor's command Saint Indes, Gorgonius and Peter with stones around their necks were cast into the sea; the general Zeno, who publicly denounced the emperor for idolatry, was beheaded; Saint Theophilus, deacon of Bishop Anthimus, was killed with stones and arrows; the abbess Agatha, the nun Theophila and the nobles Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius and Euthymius, all were killed for Christ. One night Domna was walking along the seashore and saw fishermen casting their net into the sea. And at that time Domna especially grieved for Saint Indes. Called by the fishermen to help, Domna helped them, and by God's Providence they drew up in the net three human bodies. Domna recognized in them Saint Indes, Gorgonius and Peter, took their bodies and honorably buried them. When the emperor learned that a certain youth was guarding and censing the graves of Christian martyrs, the emperor commanded that the youth be beheaded. And Saint Domna was seized and beheaded, and in the Heavenly Kingdom crowned with the crown of glory with the other martyrs.
“Shall we not lay down our souls for Him in this holy place!”
Hymn of Praise
Holy martyrs, the torments have passed for you,
Your tears are wiped away, your wounds are healed,
But still torments come, still all have not come
Upon God's Church and upon her faithful.
Holy martyrs, we pray to you:
Watch over the Church with your prayers!
Holy martyrs, wondrous victors,
All the demonic armies rose against you.
You were without fear, O great warriors,
Your adversaries fell into the abyss.
You now clearly behold the Holy Trinity
And in Her light you rejoice.
Holy martyrs, thanks to you for your wounds,
And for your tears and for your pure blood,
Which became to the Church a fortress of defense.
Pray for us to Savior Christ,
That He may deem us worthy to call you brothers,
O honorable knights, children of grace!
“Holy martyrs, thanks to you for your wounds, and for your tears and for your pure blood, which became to the Church a fortress of defense.”
Reflection
A story about the divine Child Christ. When the Most Holy Virgin with her divine Child and with righteous Joseph approached the city of Hermopolis, they beheld a tree before the gate of the city. The distant travelers were weary from the journey and approached that tree to rest a little, although the tree was very tall and had no comfortable shade. That tree the Egyptians called "Persea" and bowed down to it as to God, for they believed that some divinity was hidden in that tree. In truth, in that tree dwelt a certain evil spirit. And as the divine family approached that tree, the tree trembled greatly, and the evil spirit frightened by the approach of the Child Christ—fled. Then the tree bent its top to the earth and bowed down to its Creator as a rational creature. The tree thus bent gave great shade in which the weary travelers rested. From that day that tree received from Christ the Lord wonderworking healing power to heal every illness in people. Then the holy travelers went to the village of Matarea. Near the village they beheld a fig tree, and while Joseph went to the village on some business, the Most Holy Virgin took shelter with the Lord under that tree. And O wonder, the tree inclined to the earth with its crown to make shade for the travelers, and in its lower part opened so that the Mother with the Child could enter into it and rest. And what is most wondrous: near that fig tree suddenly opened a living spring of water. There nearby Joseph found a certain hut where they settled. And there they lived, and water from that miraculous spring they drank. This is the only spring of living water which is found in Egypt. (For all other water in Egypt comes from the river Nile, which branches into countless canals). And thus like calls forth like. The Lord Jesus, the immortal and heavenly spring of living water, by His presence called forth a spring of living water from the earth.
Contemplation
Contemplate the assembly (image) of the holy martyrs of Christ, namely:
1. How they endured torments but did not renounce Christ;
2. How from love for Christ the Lord they went to torments and death as to a feast;
3. How they now rejoice in the Kingdom of Christ and help us with their prayers.
Homily
on the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos
His mother saith unto the servants: Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it (John 2:5)
Behold joy for all the faithful: she who is nearest to Christ the Savior in heaven, as she was on earth, cares for the faithful, appears to them, helps them and counsels them: whatsoever He saith unto you, He my Son and God, do it. Thus she counseled the servants at the wedding in Cana, and the servants listened to her and saw the miracle. From the few words of the Most Holy Virgin Bride of God which are recorded in the Gospel, this is one precious teaching, indeed her only gospel teaching which she gave to people during her life on earth. Whatsoever He saith unto you—do it! As if she wished to say: He knows all, He can do all, He loves you all, therefore look neither here nor there but hear Him and obey Him. She understood her duty in this world, to live for Him and to direct others to Him as to the source of life. That duty she voluntarily continued to fulfill even from heaven. Through all church history she has taught the faithful to do what He said. Even to this day she mysteriously descends from her heavenly glory among the faithful to counsel them to do what He commanded. This is her Gospel—the Gospel of the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos. It consists not of four Gospels but of four words: Do whatsoever He saith. O my brethren, let us listen to her! Let us listen to her as to a mother, and more than our own mother, for she desires for us the greatest good—to reign in the eternal kingdom of her Son.
O Most Holy Virgin, help us to fulfill His words. To Thee and to Him be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Her only gospel teaching: Whatsoever He saith unto you — do it!”