September 30 / September 17
1. The Holy Martyrs Faith (Vera), Hope (Nada) and Love (Lyubov) and their Mother Sophia (Wisdom), at Rome (137)
They all lived and suffered in Rome during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Sophia was wise, as her name implies. She was left a widow, and had established herself and her daughters well in the Christian Faith. When the persecuting hand of Hadrian extended even over the virtuous home of Sophia, Vera was only twelve years old; Nada, ten years old; and Lyubov, nine years old. Brought before the emperor, these four held each other’s hands “like a woven wreath,” humbly but steadfastly confessed their faith in Christ the Lord and refused to offer sacrifices to the pagan idol Artemis. Before their suffering, the mother encouraged her daughters to endure to the end: “Your heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, is eternal health, inexpressible beauty, and eternal life. When your bodies are slain by torture, He will clothe you in incorruption and the wounds on your bodies will shine in the heavens as stars.” One by one the torturers inflicted cruel torments, first on Vera, then on Nada, and then on Lyubov. They beat them, slashed them, cast them into fire and boiling pitch, and finally beheaded them with the sword one after another. Sophia took the dead bodies of her daughters outside the town and honorably buried them. She remained at their grave for three days and three nights, praying to God. Then she gave her spirit to God, flying off to Paradise, where the blessed souls of her glorious daughters awaited her.
2. The Holy Martyr Agathocleia of Mequinenza (Spain) (230)
Agathocleia was a servant of a certain Nicholas and his wife Paulina, who had been Christians but turned back from the Faith to worship idols. Holy Agathocleia refused to follow the error of her masters and was subsequently tortured cruelly by them, and by the pagan judges. Her mistress killed her by pouring hot coals on her neck, but this handmaiden of God was glorified in His Heavenly Kingdom.
3. The Holy 156 Martyrs of Palestine (310)
They suffered for Christ the Lord in the year 310—some by sword and others by fire. Among them were two old bishops, Peleus and Nilus; a priest, Zeno; and two prominent men, Patermuthius and Elias. Bishop Silvanus and John, an eminent, blind elder (who knew the Holy Scriptures by heart and recited them at the gatherings of Christians), were also with them. All were crowned with martyr’s wreaths and took up their habitation in the Eternal Kingdom of Christ.
4. The Holy Martyr Theodota, at Nicaea (230)
Theodota endured eight years of cruel torture for Christ. Her torturer was the eparch Simplicius, who later went insane. Theodota was beheaded in about the year 230, during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus.
- Hieromartyrs Heraclides and Myron, bishops of Cyprus (1st ).
- Martyrs Lucy and her son Geminian, of Rome (303).
- Hieromartyr Lambert, bishop of Maastricht (704).
- Anastasius of Perioteron on Cyprus (12th c.).
- Joachim I, patriarch of Alexandria (1567).
- Innocent, archimandrite, of Glinsk Hermitage (1888).
- New Hieromartyrs Paul and Theodosius, archimandrites, and Nicodemus and Seraphim, hieromonks, of the Nicholas Koryazha Monastery (Arkhangelsk) (1918).
- (Greek : St. Eusipius of Cyprus).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Holy Martyrs Vera, Nada and Lyubov, and Their Mother, Sophia
Sophia, all-wise, glorified the Lord;
As a sacrifice to Him, she offered three most-beautiful daughters.
To her daughters she said: “Be not afraid, my daughters;
Strengthen yourselves in Christ; endure in the Faith;
And be not afraid of torture or bitter misfortunes.
Do not grieve over your bodies—it is better in heaven:
God will give you wonderful bodies in heaven.
Do not grieve over your beauty—with divine beauty
You will shine among the angels in the Kingdom of God,
As the daughters of the King of kings!
Do not grieve over life—what is this earthly life worth?
Its span is at most a hundred years.
In heaven, life without end awaits you:
Life without end, life without beginning.
Do not grieve for the company of earthly friends,
For the company of wonderful saints awaits you there.
Nor should the company of worldly kinsmen cause you grief—
For your kin in the heavens are the glorious martyrs.”
Thus the saintly mother instructed her holy daughters,
As, one by one, they flew off to heaven:
Three white doves, innocent and pure,
Flew swiftly to the bosom of Christ.
And with her soul uplifted, their mother flew after them,
And joined her glorious daughters in Paradise;
And our merciful God receives their prayers.
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