September 16 / September 3
1. The Hieromartyr Anthimus, Bishop of Nicomedia and others with him (302)
He was born in Nicomedia, and was raised from childhood as a true Christian. “His body was mor-tified, his spirit humbled, his envy uprooted, his anger subdued, his sloth banished… He had love for all and peace with all; he was prudent with all, had zeal for the glory of God and was forthright with all.” It is no wonder that a man with such virtues was appointed bishop. St. Anthimus governed as Bishop of Nicomedia during the cruel persecution of Christians under the villainous Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Streams of Christian blood were shed, especially in Nicomedia. One year, on the Feast of Christ’s Nativity, twenty thousand martyrs were burned to death in one church (see December 28). This took place during the time of Anthimus’s episcopacy. Even so, the persecution did not end with this, but continued, and many Christians were cast into prison and kept there for torture and death. St. Anthimus withdrew to the village of Semana, not because he was fleeing from death, but in order to continue encouraging his flock in the feat of martyrdom, so that no one would fall away out of fear. One of his letters to the Christians in prison was intercepted and turned over to Emperor Maximian. The emperor dispatched twenty soldiers to find Anthimus and bring him to him. The gray-haired and clairvoyant elder came out to meet the soldiers, brought them to his house, and treated them as guests—and only then revealed that he was Anthimus, whom they were seeking. The soldiers, astonished by Anthimus’s kindness, suggested that he hide, saying they would tell the emperor that they could not find him. But Anthimus replied that he could not let himself transgress God’s commandment against falsehood to save his life, and he went with the soldiers. Along the way, all the soldiers came to believe in Christ and were baptized by Anthimus. The emperor had Anthimus harshly tortured for a long time, and then had him beheaded with an axe. He glorified the Lord and went to his rest at the beginning of the fourth century. Together with him suf- fered Theophilus, deacon, and Martyrs Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdo- nius, Peter, Indes, Gorgonius, Zeno, Domna (virgin), and Euthymius (302).
2. The Holy Martyr Basilissa of Nicomedia
Basilissa was a nine-year-old girl. She was martyred in Nicomedia not long after the death of St. Anthimus. The torturers covered her whole body with wounds, but she remained faithful to Christ. God preserved her un- harmed from fire and wild beasts, which caused her torturer, Alexander, to repent and embrace the Christian Faith. Basilissa then went out into a field, fell to her knees, and prayed thankfully to God that she had endured the tortures, and with that she gave up her spirit to God, in about the year 309.
3. Saint Joanikije II, Archbishop and First Patriarch of Serbia
Joanikije was born in Prizren, and initially served as secretary to King Dušan. He became archbishop in 1339, and was elevated to the rank of patriarch in 1346. Joanikije was a zealous archpastor and organizer of the Serbian Church, “a great upholder of the laws of the Church.” He entered into rest on September 3, 1349. His relics repose in the Patriarchate of Peć.
4. The Venerable Theoctistus of Palestine (467)
He was a faster and fellow ascetic of St. Euthymius the Great. Theoctistus was abbot of Euthymius’s Lavra, located some six miles from Jerusalem on the road to Jericho. In all things he was a disciple of St. Euthym- ius under whose spiritual guidance he governed the monastery until the age of ninety. He pleased God by his life, and reposed in the middle of the fifth century during the reign of Anastasius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
- Phoebe, deaconess, at Cenchreae, near Corinth (1st c.).
- Hieromartyr Aristion (Kelladion), bishop of Alexandria (ca. 167).
- Constantine the New, emperor of Byzantium (641).
- Aigulphus of Provence (Gaul) (676).
- Remaclus, bishop of Maastricht (677).
- Edward, martyr and king of England (978).
- Blessed John “the Hairy,” fool-for-Christ, of Rostov (1580).
- New Martyr Polydorus of Leucosia (Cyprus), at New Ephesus (1794).
- New Hieromartyrs Pimen, bishop of Vernensk, and Meletius, hieromonk of the Issyk-Kul Holy Trinity Monastery (Kyrgyzstan) (1918).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Hieromartyr Anthimus
Holy Anthimus encouraged his flock:
“My children, my beloved children,
Bearers of Christ’s yoke,
Now is the time for great renunciation,
O soldiers of the Crucified Christ,
Who gloriously resurrected from the dead!
Now is the time of cruel persecution;
Now is the time of struggle and patience;
For the harvest of heroes is prepared.
The brilliant wreath is radiant above you:
Fear not the dark executioners
For the power of man does not last forever,
But the power of God lasts unto ages of ages.
Blessed is he who fears God!
Your tears will be wiped away
In heaven by the hands of angels;
Your wounds will be healed
In heaven with paradisal balm.
Death will be transformed into life!
The despised will be crowned with a wreath!
Brief torture, but eternal blessings.
My dear children, do not fear.”
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