April 10 / March 28
The Venerable Monk-martyr Eustratius of the Monastery of the Kiev Caves (1096)
Eustratius was very wealthy, but being moved by love for Christ he distributed his entire estate for the sake of Christ, entered the Monastery of the Caves, and was tonsured a monk. When the Polovtsians waged war against Kiev in 1097, they plundered the monastery and slew many Chris- tians, including monks. Eustratius and some of the faithful were sold as slaves to a Jew in the city of Cherson. This Jew ridiculed the Christian Faith and tried to coerce the Christians into embracing the Jewish religion. See- ing that they had no other alternative, they all agreed to starve themselves to death rather than deny the true Faith. Eustratius encouraged the Chris- tians to follow that decision. They all died of hunger—some after three days, some after four, and some after seven. Being accustomed to fasting, Eustratius was the only one to remain alive—enduring fourteen days without food. The Jew, angered because he had lost the money he had used to purchase the slaves, took out his revenge on Eustratius by nailing him to a cross. Eustratius praised God from the cross and prophesied a severe and imminent death for the Jew. Wild with rage, the Jew pierced him with a spear. The saint of God gave up his soul to his Savior. His body was thrown into the sea, but it floated to the surface. Great miracles occurred over this martyr’s body. Shortly after the death of Eustratius, the Byzantine em- peror decreed that the Jews of the city of Cherson be punished for their wickedness toward Christians. This tormentor of Christians was hanged on a tree and received the reward of Judas.
The Venerable Hilarion the New, Abbot of Pelecete
Hilarion was the abbot of the Monastery of Pelecete, near the Hellespont. He shone like the sun with the spirit of God, healed people and expelled evil spirits. This man of God suffered at the time when Leo the Armenian began the iconoclastic persecution. With forty of his monks, Hilarion was sent into exile near Ephesus and died there in prison. He took up his habitation in the Kingdom of Christ in 754.
The Venerable Hesychius of Jerusalem (434), a disciple of St. Gregory the Theologian
A presbyter and profound theologian, Hesychius was a disciple of St. Gregory the Theologian and a contemporary of St. Euthymius the Great.
One should read his well-known work, “On Sobriety and Prayer.” He reposed peacefully in the year 434.
The Holy Martyr Boyan, Bulgarian Prince
Boyan was the son of Krutogan and the nephew of Grubash. Boyan confessed his faith in Christ; however, his brother Milomir was a pagan. By decree of his brother, Boyan was beheaded for the true Faith in the year 827.
The Miraculous Experience of Taxiotis
Taxiotis was a soldier from Carthage. He spent his whole life in grievous sins but finally repented, left the military service, and lived a God-pleasing life. While with his wife on his estate near the city, he committed adultery with the wife of his farmworker. Immediately afterward, he was bitten by a snake and died. Taxiotis was dead for six hours, after which he arose. On the fourth day, he finally spoke and related how he had passed through all of the toll-houses until he came to the toll-house for adultery. There he fell into the dark abode of demons but was led out by an angel who vouched for him. He was then sent back to his body to repent for his latest sin. He repented for forty days, going from church to church, beating his head against the doors and thresholds, crying and telling of the terrible sufferings which sinners undergo in the other world. He implored men to cease from sin and to repent for those sins already committed. On the fortieth day, with rejoicing, Taxiotis took up his habitation in the Kingdom of the Merciful God. .
- Stephen the Confessor and Wonderworker, abbot of Tryglia (815).
- Priscus, Malchus, and Alexander, of Caesarea in Palestine (259).
- Martyrs Jonah and Barachisius and those with them in Persia: Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas (Marotas), Narses, Elias, Marinus (Mares), Abibus, Sembeeth (Sivsithina), and Sabbas (330).
- Hieromartyrs George, bishop of Zagora, Parodus and Peter, priests, and Martyr Prince Enravota-Boyan (833), of
- Hilarion, founder of Pskovoezersk Monastery (Gdov) (1476).
- Dionysius the Merciful, bishop of Larissa (1510).
- Jonah, founder of Klimets Monastery (Olonets) (1534).
- John, bishop of Manglisi, Georgia (1751).
- New Hieromartyr Peter Ochryzko, priest, of Chartoviec (Chelm and Podlasie, Poland) (1944).
- (Greek : Apostle Herodion of the Seventy [1st c.]).
HYMN OF PRAISE
Taxiotis the Soldier
Throughout all of Carthage, Taxiotis sobbed,
Recounting to everyone the horrors he had seen:
“Oh, the horrors my soul saw, my brethren!
Oh, the malodorous abyss to which my soul descended!
Oh, the terrible monsters, and mire and shrieks!
Oh, the weeping without tears, wailing and screaming!
Not six hours, but a hundred years
Did I think that I was an inhabitant in the world of hades!
Until a radiant angel offered a pledge for me.
He raised me up and lowered me near Carthage,
That I, clothed again in the body (he said),
Might repent for my latest misdeed.
When I gazed upon my body, a stinking corpse,
My strength left me and my joy perished:
Oh, how can I enter this stinking corpse?
How can I be clothed in this loathsome carrion?
Oh how, until now, could I have remained therein,
To lose my soul for the sake of pleasure, that dung?
O radiant angel, spare me the pain,
Force me not back into that foetid shame!
At my cry the angel became angry:
He who sins in the body must repent in the body!
This he said sternly, and added:
Will you enter your body, or will you enter hades again?
When he made mention of hades,
I fell painfully silent,
I rapidly approached my body and into it crawled.
Forty days for repentance have I,
And a lesson to all, and a warning.
Repent, O brethren, quickly repent;
Do not stumble with your sins into hades.
Repent quickly—only repent.
Repentance will not be allowed you there.
Taxiotis is relating to you what he himself saw—
Oh, the foetid abyss into which my soul has descended!”
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