February 19 / February 6
Saint Bucolus, Bishop of Smyrna (ca. 100)
Bucolus was a disciple of St. John the Theologian, who consecrated him Bishop of Smyrna. In Smyrna there were few that were baptized. In the darkness of paganism, St. Bucolus shone as a bright candle. He distinguished himself with every virtue, especially meekness and humility. Before his death, Bucolus consecrated the glorious Polycarp as his successor to the episcopacy. He died peacefully and took up his habitation with the Lord.
The Holy Martyr Fausta and with her Martyrs Evilasius and Maximus, at Cyzicus (305-311)
Fausta was martyred for Christ during the reign of Emperor Maximian (305–311). By her heroism, Fausta astonished her persecutors and succeeded in converting two of them to Christianity: the eighty-year-old pagan priest Evilasius and the Eparch Maximus. When the judge threatened Fausta with more severe tortures, she asked him to make her a picture depicting all those tortures with which he threatened her. When the picture was completed, it was shown to her. St. Fausta said: “As this picture feels no pain, so my body feels no pain from your punishments, for my soul is secure in the Lord.” The judge then threw her into a vat of boiling hot water, where this thirteen-year-old girl died with prayer on her lips, and her soul entered Paradise.
The Holy Martyr Dorothea, and with her Martyrs Christina and Callista, sisters, and Theophilus, at Caesarea in Cappadocia (288-300).
Dorothea was a prominent and beautiful maiden from Caesarea in Cappadocia. Sapricius, the administrator of the province, turned Doro- thea over to the two pagan sisters, Christina and Kallista, in order to turn her from Christ. But the opposite occurred: Dorothea succeeded in converting both sisters to the Christian Faith. Enraged, Sapricius ordered that the two sisters be bound back to back, thrown into a vat of pitch and set on fire. He then sentenced Dorothea to death. She joyfully heard the sen- tence and cried out: “I give thanks to Thee, O Christ, Lover of souls, that Thou art leading me into Thine all-holy mansions!” Theophilus, a certain nobleman who was present, laughed at these words and cried out to Dor- othea: “Listen, O bride of Christ—send me apples and flowers from the pomegranate tree in your bridegroom’s Paradise.” “Indeed, I will do that,” replied the martyr. When Dorothea was at the place of execution, sud- denly a beautiful young man appeared with three beautiful apples and three red flowers from the pomegranate. This was an angel of God, and it was winter. Dorothea asked the angel to take them to Theophilus and tell him: “Behold, this is what you desired!” When Theophilus received the message and saw the gift, he was thoroughly frightened. Everything turned upside down for him, and he, a confirmed pagan, became a Christian. He was tortured and slain for Christ, and his soul entered the Paradise of the Lord Jesus soon after that of St. Dorothea.
Saint Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Photius was a great beacon of the Church. He was a relative of the emperor and a grandson of the glorious Patriarch Tarasius. He vigorously protect- ed the Church from papal love of power and other Roman distortions of the Faith. In six days he went through all the ecclesiastical ranks, rising from a layman to patriarch. He was consecrated Patriarch on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 857, and he reposed in the Lord in the year 891.
The Venerable Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet, monks, of Gaza (ca. 543)
Both Barsanuphius and John were great ascetics, clairvoyants and miracle-workers from Gaza. They left a famous work entitled The Book of Answers, which deals with many questions about the spiritual life. They lived in the sixth century.
The Holy Martyrs Martha and Mary, and their brother Lycarion, at Tanis (Hermopolis) in Egypt
All three were crucified for Christ and then pierced and slain with a lance. .
- Martyr Julian of Emesa (312).
- James, ascetic, of Syria (ca. 460).
- Mael, bishop of Ardagh (488), disciple of St. Patrick.
- Vedast, bishop of Arras (540).
- John of Thebes, monk of Palestine (6th c.).
- Amand, apostle of Maastricht (675).
- Arsenius of Iqalto, Georgia (1127).
- Dorothea, schemanun, of Kashin (1629).
- New Hieromartyr Basil Nadezhnin, priest, of Moscow (1930).
- The Holy Martyrs Faustus and Basil, venerated in the Darion district of Con-
HYMN OF PRAISE
Saints Martha, Mary, and Lycarion
Saints Martha and Mary are sisters by birth,
And Lycarion is their small brother, of little strength.
Their aged mother, a sweet soul, teaches them well:
“Love Christ, my children, for He suffered for us.”
Here the commander comes, awesome and powerful.
A violent man, he slays those faithful to Christ.
The sisters open the door to their home;
They have no fear of the belligerent man.
“Hearken, O commander of the Emperor, we are Christians;
We are not like you, whom the demon sold to the devil.”
The malicious commander raised them on a cross;
At that moment the young Lycarion drew near:
“I too, I too am a Christian! Crucify me also!”
The pains on the cross are unbearable; their mother trembles.
She kisses the feet of each of her children—
Their broken feet that hang down, bloodied, from the cross.
With tormented voices from their crosses, the daughters console her:
“Do not be broken with sorrow for us, dearest Mother.
You taught us love for Christ.
The torment is brief, Sweetness will be sweet in Paradise.
In the radiance of Paradise we will await you,
Mother— Your glorious son Lycarion and your two daughters—
Oh, rejoice in such fruits of your womb!”
Like a fiery pillar, the mother’s countenance begins to beam:
“Blessed are you, my dear children—oh, blessed am I!”
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