August 6 / July 24
1. The Holy Martyr Christina of Tyre (300)
Christina was born in the city of Tyre. She was the daughter of Urban the imperial deputy, an idol-worshiper. The reason her parents gave her the name of Christina is unknown, but it contained within itself the mystery of her future following of Christ. Until the age of eleven, she knew nothing of Christ. When she reached that age, her father made her live in the top of a high tower, in order to protect her from the world, because of her extraordinary beauty. He planned to have her live there until she reached full maturity. All the comforts of life were afforded her—slaves to serve her, and gold and silver idols that she might offer sacrifices to them daily. However, the soul of young Christina was saddened in this isolated, idolatrous environment. Looking out the window each day at the sun and all the beauty of the world, and again at night at the wondrous constellations of shining, Christina came to a firm belief in the One Living God through her own natural understanding. The merciful God, seeing her longing for the truth, sent His angel to trace the sign of the Cross upon Christina. The angel called her the bride of Christ, and instructed her fully in the knowledge of divine things. Then Christina smashed all the idols in her quarters, thus provoking wild fury in her father. He brought her to trial, and had her tortured. Then he had her thrown into prison, intending to have her beheaded the next day. That night Urban, who had been in full health, spewed forth his soul and went to the grave before his daughter. After this, two imperial deputies, Dion and Julian, continued to torture this holy virgin. Christina’s courageous endurance and the miracles she worked by the power of God converted many pagans of Tyre to Christianity. During the torturing of Christina, Dion suddenly fell dead in the midst of the people. Dion’s successor, Julian, severed Christina’s breasts and tongue. The martyr threw her severed tongue into Julian’s face, and he was instantly blinded. Finally, her suffering for Christ ended beneath the sharp sword, but her life continues in the Immortal Kingdom of the angels. St. Christina suffered honorably in the year 300.
2. The Venerable Polycarp, Abbot of the Monastery of the Kiev Caves
Polycarp possessed “love toward God and neighbor, joy from an untainted conscience, peace from victory over all the passions, patience in time of temptation and misfortune, goodness in submission to all, benevolence toward the poor, undoubting faith in fulfilling the commandments, truth in fulfilling his vows, meekness in freedom from anger, abstinence and so forth.” So well did he govern the Kiev Caves Lavra that, after his death, a worthy successor among the monks could not be found (for those who were worthy did not want to accept the rank of abbot out of humility), so that the brethren were compelled to take Basil, a secular priest, as their abbot. St. Polycarp reposed in the Lord in the year 1182.
- Holy Martyrs and Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb of Russia, in holy baptism Romanus and David (1015).
- Declan, bishop of Ardmore (Ireland) (5th c.).
- Bernulphus, bishop of Utrecht (Neth.) (1054).
- Hilarion of Tvali, Georgia (1041).
- Pachomius, abbot, near Vologda (1479).
- New Martyr Theophilus of Zakynthos, at Chios (1635).
- Bogolep, child schemamonk, of Cherny Yar, near Astrakhan (1654).
- New Martyr Athanasius of Nicaea, at Constantinople (1670).
- 17 New Martyrs of Mgarsk Monastery (Poltava): Abbot Ambrose, hieromonks Arcadius, Ioannicius, Jonah, Joseph, Nicanor, Athanasius, Theophan, Serapion, Nicostratus, and Julian, and monks Ioannicius, Herman, Nazarius, Parthenius, Potapius, and Dorymedon (1919).
- Serbian New Martyrs of Prebilovci (Herzegovina) (1941).
- New Hiero-confessor John, priest, of Olenevka (1951).
HYMN OF PRAISE
Saint Christina
The glorious martyr, the virgin Christina,
Chosen bride of the Son of God,
Had her worst enemy in her father—
By him she was torn by sharp iron.
“Daughter, if you do not acknowledge the gods,
I will no longer call you my daughter.”
Thus spoke the father to his daughter,
to which she replied:
“I have never been angry with you, even though
I am the servant of Christ and you are the servant of Satan.
In you I see neither father nor friend;
You do not call me daughter,
and this makes me glad.
The Lord is my father,
and He is my sweetness!”
Like a raging beast,
her father commanded his servants
To scrape her flesh to the bone.
The flesh fell to the ground from her tender body,
One wound joined another, no place was left whole.
With her hand the holy martyr took some of her flesh
And struck her father in the middle of his foul face:
“O Urban, you meat-eater—here is my flesh,
Here, beast—eat the flesh of your child!”
That night, Urban parted from his body,
And in hell united his soul with the devil.
Christina suffered and shed her blood,
Heroically overcoming a world of enemies.
The virgin Christina, a wonderful martyr,
Was glorified with the glory of the Son of God.
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