July: Day 15: Teaching 2: Holy Martyrs Kyrikos and Julitta

July: Day 15: Teaching 2:
Holy Martyrs Kyrikos and Julitta
 
(One Should Not Seek Out Opportunities To Suffer Persecution)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. During the terrible persecution of Christians under Diocletian, there lived in the city of Iconium a young Christian widow named Julitta. Julitta was of royal lineage, very rich and had one son, whose name was Kyrikos. Diocletian's orders reached Iconium, and the governor of the region, an evil and cruel man, began to zealously seek out Christians and subject them to torture. Then Julita decided to leave the city, for, not trusting herself, she was afraid that the tortures would lead her to renounce Christ, and she wanted to get away from such a temptation. She left everything: relatives, friends, her enormous wealth, a pleasant and peaceful life, and with her three-year-old son and two servants she went to Seleucia, where she began to live in poverty.

In Seleucia, however, the persecution raged with the same force as in Iconium, and Julitta decided to go further. She arrived in the city of Tarsus and lived there among the poor; but soon the governor Alexander arrived there and someone reported to him that Julitta was a Christian. He immediately demanded her to be judged and Julitta came, holding her little son in her arms. To the governor's question about her name, family and fatherland, she answered that she was a Christian, "and in this," she added, "consists both my name and nobility; and my fatherland is the heavenly kingdom of my Christ."

The governor, enraged by the answer, ordered the child to be taken from Julitta's hands and to be cruelly beaten with ox sinews. The child screamed and thrashed in the hands of those who held him, asking to go to his mother. The governor, struck by the beauty of little Kyrikos, ordered him to be brought to him and, having seated him on his knees, began to caress him and stroke his head; but the child, looking at his mother, continued to cry and scream, and tried to free himself with his hands and feet. When Julitta, in the midst of her torment, exclaimed: "I am a Christian!" the child repeated after her: "I am a Christian!" scratching the governor's face with his little hands and thrash in in his arms. The governor, in terrible anger, threw the child to the floor and kicked him. The innocent infant rolled down the stone steps, staining them with his blood, and gave up his soul to God.

Then Saint Julitta was also beheaded with a sword. Their memory is celebrated today.

II. Let us note, beloved brethren, that the Holy Martyr Julitta did not seek persecution and tried to distance herself from this temptation for fear of denying Christ during her torment. This serves as a lesson to us not to seek for persecution, but to avoid it if possible. Here are the opinions of the Holy Fathers on this issue.

a) “Those,” says Saint Peter of Alexandria, “who in their pride take upon themselves feats beyond their strength, and themselves go to those who can give them over to suffering, the fate of sinners awaits them, because such themselves sin, for they do not listen to the words of the Lord: 'Take heed lest you enter into temptation' ( Mark 14:38 ), and also: 'Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one' (Luke 11:4). When sending the Apostles to preach, the Lord does not tell them to seek for enemies, but to beware of them. And when the time of His suffering approached, He did not give Himself up, but waited for them to come against Him with weapons and spears (Matt. 26:47). Therefore, those who seek persecution themselves do not act according to reason. For the Lord, speaking with the apostles about the sufferings that lay before them, says: 'Take heed to yourselves, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and' in the councils 'they will kill you' (Matt. 10:17). 'They will deliver you up,' He said, but do not deliver yourself up. 'And you will be brought before judges,' He said, 'and before kings,' but do not bring yourselves. Thus, He commands us to avoid persecution and to flee from persecution. 'If,' He says, 'you are driven out of this city, flee to another.' He does not want us, therefore, to go to the persecutors of our own accord and assist in their murders and irritate them, but only inspires us to be ready for everything and to remember His words: 'Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.'”

Thus, those who seek persecution act unwisely and harmfully for themselves and for others. For themselves, for instead of salvation they receive condemnation, for others, for they lead others to sin, and involuntarily excite others to anger and revenge.

b) But such will say: "I wish I were a martyr and received the crown of martyrdom!" Well then! It is possible. But for this it is not necessary to disturb others, but something else.

Abba Athanasius says: “Many often ask: where is the persecution and torment? Here it is: be tormented by conscience, die to sin, mortify the members of the earth and you will be a martyr. Martyrs fought with kings and princes, but you fight with the king of sin - the devil, and with his princes - the demons. Martyrs were brought to the temples, forced to idolatrous sacrifices and vile idolatry. Do not forget that before you there is a temple, and sacrifices, and idols. The temple is an insatiable delicacy, the sacrifices are carnal passions, the idol is sinful desires. For the slave of lust is an idolater: the same must be considered by the one possessed by anger and rage, and every lover of money, voluptuary and unmerciful. And if you refrain from these and similar sins and preserve yourself from violent passions, then through this you will crush idols, and renounce evil faith, and you will be a martyr and confessor.”

III. Therefore, brethren, if you truly desire to receive the crown of martyrdom, then follow the advice of Saint Athanasius and declare war on yourselves and your internal enemies: mortify the members that are on earth, destroy self-deception in yourselves, crucify the flesh with its passions and lusts, do not give way to anger, strike the serpent of avarice, and most of all declare irreconcilable warfare on the pernicious serpent – the devil. By fighting with him until bloodshed you will gain for yourself the crown of martyrdom. Amen.  

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.