Holy Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

1. These holy women were sisters and came from Bithynia. From a young age they loved the Lord Jesus, whom they continually had as the delight of their souls. Thus, their sole concern was how to adorn themselves with the virtues. Desiring greater asceticism and dedication to God, they left their homeland and withdrew to a hill near the hot baths of Pythia. Through their continual prayer and asceticism in Christ, they attained great heights of virtue, so much so that they healed various illnesses of people who came to them. The governor Fronto, however, who learned of them, sent men to arrest them, and because they refused to abandon their faith in Christ, he began to subject them to harsh tortures: the twisting of their limbs, casting them into the fire, the flaying of their bodies with iron claws, hanging them upon a wooden frame, and finally death by the sword. In all these things the holy women endured steadfastly, keeping their minds fixed on the love of Christ and being strengthened by His grace. After they had surrendered their spirits to God, the governor wanted to burn their holy bodies, but the flames turned against him, while a torrential rain immediately extinguished the fire. The Christians gathered up their relics and buried them with great reverence.

About the Holy Martyrs of Thessaloniki, Theodoulos and Agathopodas

In the Synaxarion of the martyrs Agathopodas and Theodoulos, the time of their martyrdom is not mentioned. However, taking into account certain details from the extended Martyrdom that follows the Synaxarion, we conclude that the two martyrs were perfected at the beginning of the Diocletian persecution, under Caesar Maximian (286–305) and the governor Faustinus.

In their Martyrology, special emphasis is placed on the courage, boldness, and steadfastness of the two martyrs in the true faith, which aroused the admiration of all those present.

Both martyrs were from Thessaloniki. Theodoulos, young in age, was a Reader and came from a distinguished family. His brothers — Kapiton, Metrodoros, and Philostorgos — were very devout young men, and during the difficult hours that Theodoulos endured after his arrest, they stood by him, strengthening and encouraging him. It is also noted in his Synaxarion that shortly before the persecution against the Christians broke out, Theodoulos, while asleep, received as a gift a unique ring, a symbol of God the giver. After this event, Theodoulos acquired healing abilities and performed cures.

Saint Clement of Ancyra Resource Page

St. Clement of Ancyra (Feast Day - January 23)

 Verses

The blood of Agathangelos and Clement,
Approached the mouth of the sword thirsty for blood.
On the twenty-third Agathangelos and Clement were beheaded.

 

Holy Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra and His Disciple Agathangelos the Martyr

 

Saints Clement of Ancyra and His Disciple Agathangelos as Models for our Lives

 

January: Day 23: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra

 

January: Day 23: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra

 

Holy Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

Children Should Be Raised To Be Faithful To the End No Matter What: The Example of the Mother of St. Clement of Ancyra

 

The Last Legacy of the Byzantine Period in the Turkish Capital: The Church of Saint Clement of Ancyra

 

Saint Tatiana of Rome Resource Page

St. Tatiana of Rome (Feast Day - January 12)

Verses

 

The always bright skull of Tatiana,

Brought on a bright crown by the sword.

On the twelfth Tatiana was beheaded. 

 

Holy Martyr Tatiana of Rome 

 

January: Day 12: Holy Martyr Tatiana

 

Holy Martyr Tatiana in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

Homily for the Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Tatiana (Fr. Daniel Sysoev) 

 

The Skull of Saint Tatiana the Martyr of Rome

 

A Journalists Harrowing Escape from Bombardment With the Help of Saint Tatiana

 

 

Saint Anysia of Thessaloniki Resource Page

St. Anysia of Thessaloniki (Feast Day - December 30)

 

Verses

 

Mortally stabbed on the right side,

The side Adam conceived Anysia.

On the thirtieth the side of Anysia was stabbed with a sword. 

 

Synaxarion of Saint Anysia of Thessaloniki 

 

Saint Anysia the Virgin-Martyr of Thessaloniki

 

December: Day 30: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Anysia

 

December: Day 30: Teaching 2: Holy Martyr Anysia 

 

Saint Anysia of Thessaloniki in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

The Discovery of the Relics of Saint Anysia of Thessaloniki in 1980

 

 

SAINT THEMISTOCLES, who boldly confessed Christ and was martyred for Him, a simple shepherd of sheep, honored in Nafpaktos with a splendid church bearing his name

By Aristeides G. Theodoropoulos

Within the numerous cloud of glorious and noble martyrs, who sacrificed themselves voluntarily for the love of Jesus Christ and who all together are encompassed in the ineffable beauty of Paradise in Heaven, a glorious martyr of the 3rd century AD from Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor, holds a prominent place. The is the reason for the holy and glorious martyr Themistocles, honored by our Orthodox Church on December 21, is praised as a glorious and invincible athlete of the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. His livelihood was as a shepherd, but accepting the teachings of our unblemished Christian faith from his pious parents, he experienced the eternal truths of the Gospel of Christ and later emerged as a fervent confessor of faith in the one and true God.

However, in the era in which Saint Themistocles lived, this courageous confessor and glorious martyr of our faith, the Roman emperor Decius, who held power between the years 249-251 AD, had launched a harsh persecution against Christians, in order to eliminate the Christian faith and impose the religion of idols. That is why he sent a royal decree to the ruler of Lycia, Asklepios, which stipulated that all Christians should be arrested.

Holy Martyr Boniface Resource Page

St. Boniface the Martyr (Feast Day - December 19)

Verses

 

Boniface sought the bones of the Martyrs,

He found himself to be a Martyr beheaded by the sword.

On the nineteenth Boniface was beheaded. 

 

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Boniface and his Holy Mistress Aglaia

 

Saints Boniface of Tarsus and Aglaia of Rome

  

Saints Boniface and Aglaia as Models for our Lives

 

December: Day 19: Holy Martyr Boniface

 

Prologue in Sermons: December 19 

 

Holy Martyr Boniface in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

Saint Paisios the Athonite on the Spirit of Sacrifice of Saints Boniface and Aglaia

 

Holy Five Martyrs of Sebaste Resource Page

Sts. Eustratios, Auxentios, Eugenios, Mardarios and Orestes (Feast Day - December 13)

Verses

Eustratios and his fellow contestants two times two,
Were killed once by the two means of fire and sword.
On the thirteenth Eustratios and those with him were slain by the sword.

 

Holy Martyrs Eustratios, Auxentios, Eugenios, Mardarios and Orestes 

 

December: Day 13: Holy Martyrs Eustratios, Auxentios, Eugenios, Mardarios and Orestes

 

Prologue in Sermons: December 13

 

Holy Five Martyrs of Sebaste in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 
 

Two Miracles of the Holy Five Martyrs of Sebaste

 

The Appearance of Five Holy Martyrs To A Girl Who Wanted to Have a Certainty of Eternity  

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Myrope

On the 2nd of December,  we commemorate the Holy Martyr Myrope.

 

Verses

Truly Myrope was revealed as myrrh for Christ,
Giving up her body to torments for His sake.

This Saint Myrope was born in the city of Ephesus. Because her father died, she was brought up by her mother alone. After she was reborn through Holy Baptism, she remained at the tomb of Saint Hermione (Sept. 4), who was one of the four daughters of Philip the Apostle, the virgins and prophetesses mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21:8). And while staying there, she received the myrrh which flowed wondrously from that tomb and distributed it abundantly to all who came. Hence, because of this circumstance, she was called Myrope.

Saint Babylas of Antioch Resource Page

St. Babylas of Antioch and the Three Children (Feast Day - September 4)

Verses

 

To Babylas. 

 

Babylas having previously sacrificed Christ,

Willingly sacrifices himself for Christ by the sword. 

 

To the Children.

 

Towards the great Master God the Word,

Do the children fervently hasten to the sword. 

On the fourth the Children and Babylas were struck with a sword. 

 

Holy Hieromartyr Babylas the Bishop of Antioch and the Three Children With Him

  

Holy Hieromartyr Babylas as a Model for our Lives

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Babylas

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch 

 

Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: September 4 

 

Saint Babylas of Antioch in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

  

Homily on Saint Babylas of Antioch (St. John Chrysostom)

  

The Demons Fear the Relics of Saint Babylas

 

 

Saint Sozon of Cilicia Resource Page

Holy Martyr Sozon of Cilicia (Feast Day - September 7)

 

Verses

Torments of body Sozon once endured,

Fixed on the only Savior of his soul.

On the seventh Sozon died, his radiant flesh fiercely beaten.

 

Synaxarion of Saint Sozon the Martyr 

 

Saint Sozon the Martyr of Cilicia and Patron of Limnos 

 

September: Day 7: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Sozon

 

Holy Martyr Sozon in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

Who Is Saint Sostis?

 

The Remarkable Byzantine Church of Saint Sozontos in Orchomenos

 

The Beautiful Chapel of Saint Sozon in Naxos

 

Saints Cyrus and John Resource Page

Sts. Cyrus and John the Wonderworker (Feast Days - January 31st and June 28th)

 

 Verses

Cyrus and his fellow athlete John go towards the sword,
Working miracles together even after the sword.

 

Saints Cyrus and John the Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries

 

The Discovery of the Relics of the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John

 

The Holy Martyrs Cyrus and John in the "Life of Saint John the Merciful"  

 

January: Day 31: Teaching 2: Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries Cyrus and John

 

June: Day 28: Teaching 1: Translation of the Relics of the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John

 

Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

Miracles 1 - 4 of Saints Cyrus and John as Recorded by Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem 

 

Miracles of Saints Cyrus and John for Theodora Who Had an Eye Disease and for her Husband Christodoros Who Was Shipwrecked 

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for Theopompos Who Was Demon Possessed 

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for the Physician Gesios

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for Kosmiana Who Had a Back Injury

 

 

Saint Orestes: the Young Physician and Invincible Athlete of the Faith from Tyana in Cappadocia

By Aristeides Theodoropoulos, Educator

Among the numerous martyrs, who sacrificed themselves for their steadfast and unshakable faith in the Savior and Redeemer Christ, is the young martyr of Christ, Saint Orestes, who is honored on November 10, and who came from Tyana in Cappadocia and, according to some sources, was a physician by profession.

Saint Orestes was born, lived and was martyred during the time when the emperor of Rome was the cruel and paranoid Diocletian, who had unleashed a relentless persecution against the Christians in 303 AD. The young Orestes boldly proclaimed that the only true God is our Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus Christ. His fiery preaching motivated many to embrace Christianity and abandon the false religion of idols. When the ruler of the region Maximinus was informed that Orestes was preaching the faith in Jesus Christ, he ordered to arrest him and bring him before him. Maximinus tried with promises and rich gifts to convince him to abandon the blameless Christian faith and then worship lifeless idols. But the efforts of the ruler were fruitless and a series of horrible tortures awaited the young Orestes. First they stripped him and whipped him mercilessly. They then threw him in jail for seven days without food in the hope that he would change his mind. In prison the unshakable faith of the young confessor of the Lord's name grew so much that it enraged Maximinus even more. Then he gave the order for him to be led before a pagan temple to participate in sacrifices to false gods. But the invincible and glorious martyr of Christ remained steadfast in his faith and, praying, completely crushed the lifeless idols.

Holy Martyr Theolipti

Saint Theolipti (Feast Day - November 1)

The Holy Martyr Theolipti is mentioned only in Paris Codex 259, f. 2a, where we find the following Sticheron in her honor:

Enriched with the knowledge of the divinely inspired Scriptures and with that sanctity, you explained, chaste one, to people who lived in ignorance, the dispensation of the Word. That is why the lawless crowd and the ungodly tyrant wounded you and handed you over to the guard, you who are eternally guarded by the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, having glorified you with miracles, you were brought into the upper bridal-chamber, and decorated with bright robes, by He who bestows great grace on the world.

Saint Artemios the Great Martyr Resource Page

St. Artemios the Great Martyr (Feast Day - October 20)

Verses

 

O Artemios whose life was all brilliant,

You endured beheading as your supreme boast.

On the twentieth astute Artemios was beheaded.

 

Saint Artemios the Great Martyr 

 

October: Day 20: Holy Great Martyr Artemios

 

Prologue in Sermons: October 20 

 

Saint Artemios in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church
 

Saint Artemios, the Spiritual Guide of the Hellenic Police

   

Miracles of Saint Artemios the Great Martyr (1 - 5) 

 

Miracles of Saint Artemios the Great Martyr (6 - 10) 

 

Miracles of Saint Artemios the Great Martyr (11 - 12)

 

Miracles of Saint Artemios the Great Martyr (13 - 14)

 

St. Artemios and the Exorcism of the Black Crow

 

The Healing of a Hernia by Saint Artemios

 

Holy Martyr Eleutherios of Nicomedia and Those With Him

Though Saint Eleutherios of Nicomedia is not commemorated in any Orthodox calendar and there is no historical record of his existence that is known to us, he is listed in in the Roman Martyrology to be commemorated on October 2nd.

According to the Roman Martyrology, Saint Eleutherios was a Roman soldier who was falsely accused of having set fire to the palace of Diocletian in Nicomedia and, by order of this most cruel emperor, he and a number of others were massacred in groups. Some were put to the sword, some consumed by fire, while others were cast into the sea. Eleutherios himself, having endured long tortures, and being found stronger after each one, was finally burned alive and became like "well-tried gold."

Saint Christina the Great Martyr Resource Page

St. Christina (Feast Day - July 24)

Verses

Your Christina was killed by a spear O Christ,

Having not denied the faith of Christians.

On the twenty-fourth a sharp spear was cast at Christina.

 

Synaxarion of the Holy Great Martyr Christina 

 

Saint Christina the Great Martyr as a Model for our Lives 

 

Saint Christina and the Reptiles of the Magicians

The Incorrupt Relics of Saint Christina the Great Martyr in Venice 

 

6 Greek Orthodox Shrines Dedicated to Saint Christina

 

Crypt of Santa Cristina in Carpignano Salentino

 

 

Holy Martyr and Unmercenary Medicus of Otricoli (+ 172)

St. Medicus of Otricoli (Feast Day - June 26)

By Archimandrite Epiphanios Dimitrios,
Preacher of the Sacred Metropolis of Dimitrias

This glorious Martyr was a physician in both name and profession. He was born in the city of Otricoli in Italy and was attracted to the Christian faith by the many miracles that took place in the temple where there were the sacred relics of another ancient martyr, Saint Victor, which had been transferred there from the city of Damascus in 171.

Medicus was accused of being a Christian in the Province of Otricoli Terenziano, during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
 
Prefect Terenziano, after seeing the immutability of Medicus' faith and because the Saint said that idols are demons, put him in prison, ordering that no one should bring him food or water, so that he would either be forced to deny his faith or die from hunger.