January 12 / December 30
January 12 / December 30
1. The Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia at Thessalonica (298)
Anysia was born in Thessalonica of eminent and wealthy parents and was brought up in the Christian Faith. She was orphaned at an early age and gave herself completely to godly thoughts and prayer in her own home. Fervent in her love for Christ, she often said: “Oh, how false is the life of youth, for you either scandalize or are scandalized. Better is old age; but sorrow overcomes me because of the length of time that separates me from heaven.” She sold all her possessions, distributed the proceeds to the poor, and lived from the labors of her own hands. She kept a strict fast, slept very little, and constantly shed tears at prayer. When sleep overcame her she would say to herself: “It is dangerous to sleep while my enemy keeps vigil.” At that time, the wicked Emperor Maximian issued a decree that anyone could kill Christians when and where he encountered them, without trial or sentence. This holy virgin once went out into the streets to attend church. That day was a pagan feast of the sun. A soldier saw her beautiful countenance, and he approached her with an impure desire, asking for her name. She made the sign of the Cross and said to him: “I am Christ’s handmaid, and I am going to church.” When the impudent soldier came closer and began to speak to her insanely, she shoved him away and spat in his face. The soldier struck her with his sword below the ribs and ran her through. This holy virgin suffered in the year 298. She was honorably buried by Christians and was crowned with the wreath of glory by God in the Heavenly Kingdom. A church was built over her grave.
2. The Venerable Theodora of Constantinople
Theodora was a nun and servant of St. Basil the New (March 26). After her death, she appeared to St. Gregory, a disciple of Basil, and described for him all twenty toll-houses through which her soul had passed until, through the prayers of St. Basil, she had entered into eternal rest. Theodora presented herself to the Lord on December 30, 940.
3. The Holy Apostle Timon the Deacon, of the Seventy
Timon was one of the Seven Deacons and one of the Seventy Apostles (Acts 6:5). He was appointed Bishop of Bostra in Arabia. There he preached the Gospel and endured much ill-treatment at the hands of the pagans. He was thrown into the fire but remained unharmed. He finally died, being crucified, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ.
4. The Venerable Theodora of Caesarea in Cappadocia
After many ascetic labors in the convent of St. Anna, she entered peacefully into rest in the year 755.
5. The Venerable Martyr Gideon of Karakallou Monastery, Mt. Athos
Gideon was a Greek by birth, of very poor parents. In his youth, he was forced to embrace Islam. Repentant, he fled to the Holy Mountain, where he received the monastic tonsure in the Monastery of Karakallou. Desiring martyrdom for Christ, he received the blessing of his spiritual father and returned to the same place where he had become a Moslem. There, before the Turks, he openly confessed the Christian Faith and denounced Mohammed as a false prophet. The Turks shaved his head, placed him upside-down on a donkey, and led him through the town, but he rejoiced at this ridicule for the sake of Christ. They then chopped off all his fingers and toes with an axe, as they had once done to St. James the Persian (November 27). Finally, they threw him into a place filled with excrement, where he gave up his holy soul to God in the year 1818, in Trnovo in Thrace. His miracle-working relics are preserved in the Church of the Holy Apostles in the village of Trnovo, and a part of his relics can be found in the Karakallou Monastery.
- Martyr Philoterus of Nicomedia, and with him six soldiers and one count (311).
- . Martyrs Magistrianus, Paulinus, Umbrius, Verus, Severus, Callistratus, Florentius, Arianus, Anthimus, Ubricius, Isidore, Euculus, Sampson, Studius, and Thespe- sius, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (361-363).
- Egwin, bishop of Worcester (717).
- Tryphon, bishop of Rostov (1468).
- Macarius, metropolitan of Moscow (1563).
- Uncovering of the relics (1625) of Daniel of Pereyaslavl, founder of St. Daniel Monastery (1540).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Holy Martyr Anysia
Holy Anysia prays to God,
Continually kneeling and shedding tears:
“O Jesus, God and Lord,
The Source of eternal life,
The Treasury of incorruptible goods:
Help me, O God, help me,
To remain a virgin until death,
As a virgin to enter into rest,
And to become worthy of Thy Kingdom.
Grant me, O Savior, Thy grace,
To be able to suffer for Him.
To sacrifice myself for Thee.
I desire to be a sacrifice to my God—
Oh, help me to gain what I desire!”
God heard the virgin Anysia.
And gave her His grace
Holy Anysia, now in Paradise,
Shines as a star among the stars,
Shines as an angel among the angels,
Praying for us to the Immortal Christ.
To be able to suffer for Thee,
To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
you can purchase your copy of the Prologue of Ohrid at our St. Sebastian Bookstore
or download our Kindle E-Book version at Amazon.com.
