February 28 / February 15

The Holy Apostle Onesimus of the Seventy (ca. 109)

Onesimus was one of the Seventy. He was a slave of Philemon but transgressed against his master and fled to Rome. There he heard the Gos- pel from the Apostle Paul and was baptized. Since the Apostle Paul had earlier converted Philemon to the true Faith, he reconciled the two of them—Philemon and Onesimus, master and slave—writing a special epistle to Philemon. It is one of the most touching compositions in Holy Scripture. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds

… For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever. Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me (Philemon 1:10,15,16). Indeed, moved by this letter, Philemon received Onesimus as a brother, freeing him from slavery. Later Onesimus was consecrated a bishop by the apostles themselves, and he accepted the episcopal throne at Ephesus at the death of the Apostle Timothy. This is evident from the Epistle of Ignatius the God-bearer. At the time of Trajan’s persecution, Onesimus, already an old man, was arrested and brought to Rome. In Rome Onesimus gave an account of himself before the judge Tertulus, and he was imprisoned and finally beheaded. A wealthy woman removed his body, placed it in a silver coffin and buried it honorably, in the year 109.

The Venerable Eusebius, hermit, of Asikha in Syria (430-440)

A Syrian hermit, Eusebius first lived an ascetic life under the direction of holy men, and later he withdrew and became a recluse. He fed entirely on vegetables; he did not even taste fruit. He spent all of his time in prayer in the open spaces, enduring all conditions of weather. He lived to be ninety-five years of age and died peacefully in the year 440.

• Synaxis of John the Theologian at Diaconissa.
• Martyr Major of Gaza (304).
• St. Paphnutius, monk, and his daughter St. Euphrosyne, nun, of Alexandria (5thc.).
• Theognius, bishop of Bethelia near Gaza (523).
• Oswy, king of Northumbria (670).
• Paphnutius, recluse of the Kiev Caves (13th c).
• New Hieromartyr Paul (Kozlov), hieromonk of Nilus Hermitage (Tver) (1938).

HYMN OF PRAISE

Saint Onesimus the Apostle

The all-glorious Onesimus began his life as a slave
And ended it as Christ’s apostle and martyr.
The lawless Tertulus asked him for his name.
“My name is Christian, my surname Onesimus.”
“Are you a freeman or someone’s slave?”
“A slave of Philemon I was, and a slave of Christ God I am.”
“For what price did Philemon sell you to Christ?”
“The Lord Christ gave His blood for me.”
“Tell me: Do you honor the idols of the state?”
“I do not see gods but only statues—
Various animals, all dead statues;
I see an ox being offered as a sacrifice to an ox.
Thus, a ram to rams, birds to owls,
Living animals to dead beasts,
The living to the dead, the stronger to the weaker.
No, to such gods I do not bow down!
Only to the Living Lord, my Master
And Creator—mine and yours, O Tertulus.”
Tertulus mocked the man of God,
And he ordered that by the sword he be beheaded!
He who had power over the body severed his head,
But neither his soul nor his glory did he cut off.
The glorious name of Onesimus remained,
So that heaven and earth would praise it.

---