November 16 / November 3

1.  Hieromartyrs Acepsimas, Bishop of Naeson, the priest Joseph, and the deacon Aeithalas, of Persia (376)

The eighty-year-old Acepsimas, filled with every Christian virtue, was sitting one day in his home with guests. Just then a child, filled with the Spirit of God, ran up to the aged bishop, kissed him on the head and said: “Blessed is this head, for it will receive suffering for Christ.” This prophecy was soon fulfilled. King Sapor raised a bitter persecution of Christians throughout Persia, and St. Acepsimas was apprehended. He was brought before a prince who was also a pagan priest. As the bishop was arrested and bound, a member of his household asked him what should be done with his home if he were martyred. The saint replied: “It is no longer my home. I am going to a home on high and will not return.” After prolonged interrogation he was thrown into prison. The following day Joseph, a seventy-year-old presbyter, and Aeithalas, a deacon, were also imprisoned. After three years of imprisonment and many tortures, Acepsimas was beheaded. Joseph and Aithalas were buried up to their waists in the ground, and the soulless pagans forced Christians to stone them. That night, by God’s providence, Joseph’s body disappeared, and a myrtle tree grew over Aeithalas’s body that healed every kind of disease and pain of men. This tree stood for five years before the wicked and envious pa- gans cut it down. These soldiers of Christ suffered in Persia in the fourth century, dur- ing the time of the pagan King Sapor.

2.  Dedication of the Church of the Great-martyr George in Lydda (4th )

On this day we commemorate the translation of the relics of St. George, from Nico- media, where he suffered at the time of Emperor Diocletian, to the city of Lydda in Palestine. The suffering of this wonderful saint is described on April 23. Anticipating his martyrdom, St. George begged his servant to take his relics to Palestine, where his moth- er had been born, and where he had distributed his large estate to the poor. The servant did so. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, pious Christians built a beautiful church to St. George in Lydda and, upon the consecration of that church, the relics of the saint were interred there. Innumerable miracles have occurred from these miracle-working relics of St. George, the great- martyr of Christ.

3.  The Venerable Elias the Egyptian

Elias labored in asceticism near Antinoe, the principle city of the Thebaid. For seventy years, he lived among the arid and inaccessible rocks of the desert. He ate only bread and dates and, in his youth, fasted for weeks at a time. He healed all manner of pains and ailments of the people. He eventually became very shaky in his old age, and entered into the joy of his Lord at the age of 110. Elias said: “Guard your mind from evil thoughts concerning your neighbors, knowing that the demons put them there, aiming to blind you to your own sins and prevent you from directing your- self toward God.”

• Martyrs Atticus, Agapius, Eudoxius, Carterius, Istucarius (Styrax), Pactobius (Tobias), Nictopolion, and companions, at Sebaste (320).
• Acepsimas, hermit, of Cyrrhus in Syria (4th c.).
• Snandulia of Persia (380).
• Achaemonides (or Hormisdas), confessor, of Persia (4th c.).
• Winifred of Holywell, Wales (630).
• Hubert, bishop of Liege (727).
• Pirmin, bishop and monastic founder (Germany) (753).
• Theodore, confessor, bishop of Ancyra (8th-9th c.).
• Anna (1112), daughter of Prince Vsevolod I Yaroslavich.
• Nicholas of Iveron (Mt. Athos) and Georgia, hymnographer (1308).
• Pimen of Zographou (Mt. Athos) (1610).
• New Hieromartyr George, priest, of Neopolis, Asia Minor (1797).(Greek : The Meeting [1196] of St. Sava [1235] and St. Symeon the Myrrh-gusher[1200], of Serbia, at Vatopedi [Mt. Athos]).

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Holy Great-martyr George

O George the martyr,
O George the victor:
Through suffering, you conquered,        
And through death you have been glorified.
You were sustained by God’s hand.
You held all things to be of less value
Than truth, O George.
You gave up earthly power and honor,
And stood beside the Living Christ. 

O George the martyr,
O George the victor:
Pierced and broken with horrible tortures,
All your pains were as nothing—
By the power of God’s mighty hand.
And glorify your name.
We all bow down before you

O Martyr George, O Victor George:
Have mercy on us now,
By your prayers, protect us
Before the throne of Christ God,
Our Almighty Savior;
And pray that we not fear torture,
And that, by patience, we conquer!

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