April 30 / April 17

The Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia, and those with him: Hieromartyrs Abdechalas and Ananias, priests; Martyrs Ustazad and Azat, eunuchs; Fusicus, Ascitrea, and 1,150 others (341).

During the reign of the wicked King Sapor, Simeon was tortured for Christ along with his two presbyters, Audel and Ananias. The king’s eunuch, Ustazan—who had earlier denied Christ but afterward, touched by the rebuke of St. Simeon, had again confessed the true Faith before the king—was executed before them. A thousand other Christians were also led to the place of execution with Simeon. Simeon intentionally moved out of the way in order to be the last one beheaded. He did this to encourage the other Christians so that not one of them would waver out of fear of death. When the presbyter Ananias placed his head on the chopping block, his entire body quivered. The king’s court clerk, Fusik, who secretly was a Christian, began to encourage Ananias saying: “Do not be afraid, old man, close your eyes and be brave, so that you may see the Divine Light.” As soon as Fusik said this, he was recognized as a Christian and was accused before the king. Both Fusik and his daughter, the maiden Askitria, were exhausted through great torture by the king. After St. Simeon saw his flock depart to the other world, he was finally beheaded. The following year on Great Friday, Azat, the beloved eunuch of the king, was also slain for Christ and with him a thousand other faithful. Then the king mourned for his eunuch and suspended the further killing of Christians. They all suffered honorably for Christ the King and Lord in the year 341 or 344.

Saint Acacius, Bishop of Melitene (435)

Acacius lived the ascetic life in the place where he was born, that is, in Melitene in Armenia. Blessed Otreius, the bishop of that city, who participated in the Second Ecumenical Council [Constantinople, 381], ordained him a presbyter. Following the death of Otreius, Acacius became a bishop. He participated in the Third Ecumenical Council [Ephesus, 431], which condemned the evil blasphemy of Nestorius against the Mother of God. Here, together with St. Cyril of Alexandria, Acacius zealously fought for the purity of the Orthodox Faith. St. Acacius possessed much grace from God and worked many miracles. After long and zealous service to God, Acacius reposed peacefully in the year 435. He must be distinguished from the St Acacius who is commemorated on March 31.

Saint Agapitus, Pope of Rome (536)

Agapitus was sent to Emperor Justinian in Constantinople by Theodotus, King of the Goths, to dissuade him from his campaign against the Goths. En route, he healed a mute and blind person. In Constantinople, Agapitus assisted in confirming Orthodoxy. He died in the year 536.

The Venerable Sabbatius and Zosimas

Sabbatius and Zosimas were the co-founders of the ascetic community on the Solovki Island in the White Sea. Many great saints were glorified in the Solovki Monastery. St. Sabbatius died in 1435, and St. Zosimas in 1478.

• Martyr Adrian of Corinthus in Persia (251). Some Slav menologies place his Passion in Corinthus in Persia, under Sapor, but this attestation is not to be found in the Byzantine synaxaria.
• Monk-martyr Donnan of Eigg and those with him (Scotland) (618).
• Ephraim the Great, bishop of Atsquri, Georgia (9th c.).
• Uncovering of the relics (1641) of Alexander, founder of Svir Monastery (1533).
• Macarius of Corinth (1805). He was born in Corinth in 1731 into the eminent Notaras family; he battled with ardor for a return by Christians to frequent Communion, the practice having been reduced to once or twice a year.
• Paisius, fool-for-Christ, of Kiev (1893).

HYMN OF PRAISE

Saint Zosimas

On a desert isle amidst the stormy sea,
Beyond the vanity of the world and beyond conversation,
Zosimas nourishes his soul with prayers
And defends it from demons with the name of God.
Vicious demons become embittered against him,
And direct all of their power against him.
Zosimas speaks to them: “In vain is your effort
As long as the mighty hand of God protects me.
Is it the will of God that I be slain?
Then strike quickly, and do not waste time!
Why do you change yourselves into beasts and serpents,
Into angry wolves, tigers and scorpions,
When you do not have the strength of shadows
To do me any harm?
You are dreadful only to the sons of sin
And to the lovers of pleasure and laughter.
But to the lovers of the yoke of Christ,
The Mother of God, and pure asceticism,
You are like the fog carried by the wind,
Which one moment is blown in and the next moment blown away.
If the fog is able to uproot a rock,
Then you are able to sway me, a sinner!
Leave me alone; I do not give myself over to you.
I am the servant of Christ; I look to Christ.”

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