August 20 / August 7

1.  The Venerable Martyr Dometius of Persia and two disciples (363)

Dometius was born a pagan in Persia during the reign of Emperor He became acquainted with the Christian Faith as a young man, abandoned paganism, and was baptized. So much did Dometius love the true Faith that he left every worldly thing and was tonsured a monk in a monastery near the town of Nisibis. He lived for some time among the brethren, and then withdrew to a life of silence with the elder, Archmandrite Urbel (who is said to have eaten only uncooked food for sixty years). Elder Urbel made Dometius a deacon, and when he wanted to compel him to receive the rank of a priest, Dometius withdrew to an isolated mountain and settled in a cave. He attained such a high degree of perfection through fasting, prayer, all-night vigils and godly thoughts that he miraculously cured the sick. When Julian the Apostate came to those regions, he heard of Dometius and sent men to seal him up alive in a cave, with two of his disciples. Thus, this saint of God reposed and took up his abode in the Kingdom of God in the year 363.

2.  The Venerable Or, Hermit of the Thebaid (390)

Or attained great perfection through the greatest asceticism. When he firmly established himself and attained holiness in solitude, he gradually established several monasteries and was a superb spiritual leader and teacher of many monks. Rufinus, who visited him, describes Or in the following way: “In appearance, he resembled an angel of God— a ninety-year-old elder with a long beard, as white as snow. His outward aspect was wonderful. His gaze shone with superhuman radiance.” Often he saw the angels of God. He especially endeavored never to speak an untruth. He had great temptations from the demons, but overpowered them all, soberly and courageously. He received Holy Communion daily. On one occasion, one of his disciples reminded him that the Feast of the Resurrection had come and that it should be celebrated. Hearing this, Or came out, raised his hands to heaven, and spent three days in prayer without rest. He explained to his disciple: “For the monk, this is the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ: to elevate his mind and to unite it with God.” He reposed in deep old age in about the year 390.

3. The Holy Martyrs Marinus and Asterius, at Caesarea in Palestine (260)

Marinus was a soldier and Asterius was a Roman senator. At the time of Emperor Gallienus, St. Marinus served as a soldier in Caesarea in Palestine. Marinus was beheaded for the sake of the Christian Faith. Asterius, the senator, also a Christian, was present at his martyrdom. He removed his toga and wrapped the body of the martyr in it. He then carried the body on his shoulders and honorably buried it. Seeing this, the pagans beheaded him also. They both died honorably for Christ in about 260.

4.  The Venerable Pimen, the Much-ailing, of the Kiev Caves (1110)

Since his youth, Pimen was both sickly and desirous of the monastic life. Brought to the Lavra of the Kiev Caves for healing, he remained there until his death. Pimen prayed to God more for sickness than for health. At night, angels appeared to him and tonsured him a monk. They also informed him that he would be ill until his death and that just before his death he would become healthy. And so it was. Pimen was bedridden for twenty years. He worked miracles during his lifetime and possessed a rare gift of clairvoyance. Just prior to his death, he rose from the bed completely whole and immediately prepared a grave for himself. He reposed in the Lord in the year 1110.

5. The Hieromartyr Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem

Narcissus was beheaded at the time of Antoninus, in the year 213, being 116 years of age.

• Martyr Afra of Augsburg (ca. 304).
• Virgin Potamia of Alexandria (4th ).
• Hyperechius of Egypt (4th c.).
• Victricius of Rouen (407-410).
• Theodosius the New, of the Peloponnese, healer (862).
• Pimen the Faster, of the Far Caves in Kiev (ca. 1141).
• Mercurius of the Near Caves in Kiev, bishop of Smolensk (1239).
• Nicanor, wonderworker, of Mt. Callistratus (1549).
• Dometius of Philotheou, Mt. Athos (16th c.).
• Theodora of Sihla (Romania) (18th c.).
• Uncovering of the relics (1832) of Metrophanes (Macarius in schema), bishop of Voronezh (1703).
• Anthony, elder, of Optina Monastery (1865).
• Joseph, monk of Kapsa Monastery on Crete (1874).
• New Hieromartyrs Alexander, protopresbyter, of New York and Moscow, and Athanasius, abbot, of Izmailovo (Moscow) (1937).
• Synaxis of the Saints of Valaam Monastery.
• (Greek : Holy 10,000 Ascetics of the Thebaid. St. Sozon of Nicomedia. Holy Empresses Irene [803] and Pulcheria [453] of Constantinople).

HYMN OF PRAISE

Saint Or, Hermit of the Thebaid

To the honor and glory of monks,
Or, the all-wise Abba, chief among monks,
With great labor and many sighs
Reached the perfection of a true monk.
Give us a word, they once begged him!
“Speak the truth, never tell a lie.
I know a man who never swore,
Never lied, never wished evil to another
” Having replied, the elder was silent.
Then holy Sisoes asked Or:
“Give me, Father, some instruction.”
“Live,” Or said to him, “as you see me live!”
“Tell me more clearly, how should I see you?
Does every man hide a secret in himself?”
Or spoke again: “Behold, I speak to you:
Of all God’s creations,
I consider myself the worst.”
Or taught his disciple, Paul, in this way:
“From every sin you will easily flee,
If only you will flee from evil conversation.
For every other sin sprouts from this evil.
Evil conversation is death to the soul of man;
It smothers every good seed in the heart.
I will say one more thing, and let it be enough:
Repel all vain thoughts; repel iniquitous desires;
Distance yourself from material cares,
And you will attain the immaterial, my son.”

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