Mesra 27 : The Martyrdom of Sts. Benjamin and his Sister Eudexia, and the Martyrdom of St. Mary, the Armenian.

1. The Martyrdom of Sts. Benjamin and his Sister Eudexia.

On this day, St. Benjamin and his sister St. Eudexia, were martyred. Their parents were pious Christians who loved sojourners. They brought them up in a Christian manner.

When Benjamin grew up, he longed to be martyred for the sake of the Name of Christ. He went to "Shatanouf" and confessed the Lord Christ before the governor. The governor tortured him much then cast him in prison. When his parents and sister knew about this, they came to him weeping, but he comforted them, and told them about the vanity of the world and the life of the coming age which has no end. When his sister heard that, she told him, "God lives, I shall not separate from you until we die together."

The governor cast them in a dark place for twenty days. Then he took them out and hung heavy stones on their necks and threw them in the river. The Angel of the Lord came and loosened the stones. They swam until they arrived at the town of Petra. A virgin found them and rescued them. They then returned to the governor and again they confessed The Lord Christ before him. The governor ordered to cut off their heads and they received the crown of martyrdom. The faithful built a church in their names in their town "Shanshour."

May their prayers be with us. Amen.

2. The Martyrdom of St. Mary, the Armenian.

On this day also, St. Mary the Armenian, was martyred. She was captured by the Moslems, who asked her to deny her faith in the Lord Christ. She refused, so they tortured her severely, but she remained steadfast in her faith. They threatened to burn her alive in a blazing pit, by the gate of Zoweila in Cairo. Many gathered there, and the crowd tried to frighten her from the suffering and to persuade her to change her counsel, but she answered saying, "It is good that I deliver up my soul in the hands of my Master, Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ." Then she quickly threw herself in the fiery pit. Thus she received the crown of martyrdom.

May her prayers be with us, and Glory be to God forever, Amen.

Comments

Amshir 14 : The Departure of St. Severus (AKA Saint Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch and the Departure of St. James (Yacobus), 50th Pope of Alexandria.

1. The Departure of St. Severus (St. Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch. On this day of the year 538 A.D., the holy father St. Severus (AKA St. Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch, departed. He was from Asia Minor. His grandfather, whose name was also Severus, saw in a vision someone telling him, "The child who is for your son will strengthen Orthodoxy, and his name will be after your name." When his son had this saint, he called him Severus. He was taught the Greek wisdom and church subjects. Once, the saint was strolling outside the city, a shut-in saint came out of his cave crying, "Welcome to you Severus, teacher of Orthodoxy, and Patriarch of Antioch." Severus marvelled at how he called him by his name, for he did not know him before, and how he foretold what would become of him. Severus grew in virtue and became a monk in the monastery of St. Romanus. The fame of his righteousness and his ascetic life spread out. When the Patriarch of Antioch departed, t...

Hator 5 : The Appearance of the Head of St. Longinus, the Soldier, and the Martyrdom of St. Timothy and the Relocation of the Body of St. Theodore, the Prince, to Shotb.

1. The Appearance of the Head of St. Longinus, the Soldier. On this day was the appearance of the head of St. Longinus the Soldier who pierced the side of our Savior, when He was on the Cross. Emperor Tiberius Caesar sent a soldier to Cappadocia to cut off the head of this saint, as it is written in the 23rd day of the month of Abib. The soldier fulfilled the order and brought the head to Jerusalem, and handed it to Pontius Pilate. Pilate showed the head to the Jews, who rejoiced at his deed. Pilate commanded that the head be buried in some of the piles of dirt outside Jerusalem. There was a woman who had believed at the hands of St. Longinus when he preached in Cappadocia. During his execution, she stood, weeping, and witnessed his martyrdom. Later on she became blind. So, she took her son and departed to Jerusalem to be blessed by the holy places, and the holy sepulchre, hoping that she might regain her sight. When she arrived in Jerusalem, her son died. She becam...

Hator 2 : The Departure of St. Peter the Third 27th Pope of Alexandria

The Departure of St. Peter the Third 27th Pope of Alexandria On this day in the year 481 A.D., the Great Saint Abba Peter III, 27th Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was chosen patriarch after the departure of St. Timothy, 26th Pope. Shortly after his enthronement upon the apostolic throne, he received a letter from St. Acacius, Patriarch of Constantinople, confessing in it the one nature of Christ, according to the faith of St. Cyril and St. Dioscorus. He also stated clearly that it is not right to recognize two separate natures for Christ after the union, otherwise, the usefulness of the union would be futile. Abba Peter replied by a letter declaring his acceptance of Abba Acacius into the Orthodox Faith. He sent it with three learned bishops to Abba Acacius, who received them with respect and asked them to join him in the prayers of the Divine Liturgy. Abba Acacius read the letter to his particulars and to those who followed him. He then wrote another Catholic epi...

synaxarium.org

Search This Blog