- Archistrategos Michael.
- Eudoxios, Zinon, Makarios, and their Companions
- Romilus
- Cyril, Bishop of Gortineia
- David
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| also remembered today are Monk Archippos; and the martyrs Faustus the Presbyter, Habib the Deacon, and 11 other Martyrs died at Alexandria (no essays) | |
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Today we remember a miracle worked by the Holy Archistrategos [see Definitions, right] Michael. In Chairotopa (Karahayit) near Colossae was a church named for the Archistrategos Michael, and outside this church flowed a health-curative spring. This church was built through the support of a man from Laodiceia in gratitude to God and to Archistrategos Michael because, although neither the man nor his family had been Christians, the Archistrategos Michael had appeared in a dream vision to this man and revealed that his mute daughter would receive the gift of speech if she drank from the water at the spring. So, she did drink the water and she began to speak. After this miracle, the father with his daughter and all their family were baptised. When he was 10 years old, Archippos, son of Christians from the city of Hierapolis (now Pamukkale), went to pray in the church of the Archistrategos Michael, and he remained as church-caretaker for 60 years. By his preaching and by the example of his saintly life he brought many a people to faith in Christ. However, at this time, many people did not trust Christians and wanted to destroy the church of Archistrategos Michael. These people diverged two rivers out a mountain and towards the church. Seeing the danger, Archippos prayed fervently to the Archistrategos Michael to save the building. Suddenly, Archistrategos Michael appeared and with a blow of his staff opened a wide fissure in the mountain and commanded the rivers to flow into it. The people who had tried to harm the church fled in terror, and Archippos together with other Christians gathered in church to glorify God and give thanks to Archistrategos Michael. (An icon depicting Archistrategos Michael and Archippos is here.) The place where this miracle happened received the name "Khona," which means "opening" or "fissure." Archippos dwelt constantly at the church into venerable old age, and died peacefully at 70. Christians buried him at Khona (Chonae, a later name of Colossae) . |
Notes for this article: Places: Church of Archistrategos Michael References: Icon of Archangel Michael and St. Archippos Definitions: Archistrategos |
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The Martyrs Eudoxios, Zinon, Makarios, and their Companions received a martyr's death for Christ under the emperor Maximian Galerius, the successor to the emperor Diocletian. Eudoxios was a military-commander in the imperial armies. He was a Christian, as were also his friend Zinon and his house steward Makarios. After emperor Diocletian issued an edict to kill Christians who refused to offer sacrifice to idols, many fled with their families to avoid torture and death. Eudoxios, too, resigned his position, and with his wife Basilissa and all their family abandoned their property and went into hiding in the region of Armenian Meletina. The governor of Meletina sent soldiers to search for Eudoxios. They did find Eudoxios, but did not recognize him, and they asked him whether he had seen the military-commander Eudoxios. Not revealing who he actually was, Eudoxios invited the soldiers into his home, fed them and gave them lodging for the night. Eudoxios considered his encounter with the soldiers as a sign from the Lord about his impending end by martyrdom. In the morning he disclosed to his guests, that he was the one whom they were seeking. In gratitude for the hospitality the soldiers offered to conceal from the authorities that they had managed to find Eudoxios. But Eudoxios would not consent to this. Setting his house in order, he told his wife Basilissa not to mourn, but to celebrate the day of his martyrdom. Then, donning his military attire, he went off with the soldiers to the governor. However, Basilissa and his friends -- Zinon and Makarios -- followed him. The governor tried to persuade Eudoxios to save his life by offering sacrifice to the idols, but Eudoxios firmly refused, denouncing the folly of anyone who would worship soulless idols. He removed his soldier's sash -- the emblem of his power of authority -- and threw in the face of the governor. Then, other soldiers present at this audience, and who were secret Christians, did likewise -- they numbered more than a thousand men. The embarrassed governor asked the emperor what he should do. The emperor replied that he should kill the leaders but set the soldiers free. Basilissa wept and Zinon started weeping, but Eudoxios them not to mourn him,, and asked Basilissa to bury his body be in Amimos. To Zinon, Eudoxios predicted, that they would simultaneously enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Emboldened by these words, Zinon loudly declared himself a Christian, for which he was immediately sentenced to death. After their deaths, Basilissa took the body of her husband and buried it where he had requested. Then Basilissa was arrested and taken to the governor; in front of whom she fearlessly denounced both the governor and his false gods. The governor however sent her away. Makarios, the friend and house-steward of Eudoxios and Basilissa immediately went to the governor and declared himself a Christian, for which he was executed (+311-312). |
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The Martyr Romilus lived during the reign of the emperor Trajan and was a confidant to the emperor because he was a military-commander. The emperor discovered upwards to 11,000 Christians among his troups, and he immediately sent them into exile in Armenia. Romilus reproached the emperor with his impiety and for the folly of diminishing the army's numeric strength during a time of war, and Romilus openly acknowledged that he himself was a Christian. The enranged Trajan had Romilus executed. |
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Cyril, Bishop of Gortineia (Gortys), lived during the time of the emperor Diocletian and his co-emperor Maximian Galerius. As a Christian he was brought to trial before the governor Agrippina and after interrogation he was thrown into prison. By night he heard a voice, which commanded him to go to Rome. In the morning, he found that the doors of the prison were open. On the road to Rome, Cyril had a vision: the Monk Philoxenos appeared and foretold for him two crowns -- one of hierarch [see Definitions, right] and the other of martyr. At Rome, Cyril gave great help to the Church by his preaching. When a persecution against Christians started, Cyril set off to Jerusalem to encourage the spirits of Christians living there. Along the way he had a vision and received a command not to neglect Crete. Arriving in Crete, Cyril was chosen bishop of the city of Gortineia (Gortys). He was then 60 years of age and remained bishop for 35 years. Under a new persecution against Christians, Cyril was brought to trial and sentenced to death the vicinity of Raxos at the beginning of the 4th Century. |
Notes for this article: Places: People: Definitions: hierarch |
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Before he entered a monastery, David was the leader of a band of bandits in Egypt, in the Hermopolis wilderness. However, as he became older, he thought over his life went to the monastery and asked to be received as a brother. The hegumen [see Definitions, right] refused, explaining that their monastic life was very severe and would be beyond David's ability. Nevertheless, David persisted and, finally, he revealed to the hegumen, who he was, and he said, that if they did not open the doors of the monastery to him, he would then return to his former life, come back and plunder the monastery, and kill the monks. The hegumen thereupon allowed him into the monastery, and to the surprise of all, David became an excellent monk. One day, the Archangel Gabriel came to David with the announcement that the Lord had forgiven him his past behavior. But the Monk David could not believe, that the Lord would so quickly grant forgiveness. The Archangel then said to him, that for his lack of faith David would become speechless. David implored, that he should be left the ability to say his prayers, the monastic rule, and share in church services. This was granted him, although at all other times he remained speechless. Towards the end of his life the Monk David received from God the gift of wonderworking: he healed many of the sick and cast out evil spirits.. |
Notes for this article: Places: People: Definitions: hegumen |