December 1 / November 18
1. The Holy Martyr Plato of Ancyra
Plato was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing- ing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Plato did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Cre- ator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Plato said: “There are two deaths, the one tempo- ral and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.” Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsh- er tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannonballs were set on the saint’s naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. “Torture me more harshly,” the martyr cried out to the torturers, “so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.” When the torturer remind- ed the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: “I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.” After that, Plato was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Plato was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: “You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.” Plato was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory.
2. The Holy Martyrs Romanus, deacon, and Child-martyr Barulas (303), of Antioch
St. Romanus was a deacon of the church in Caesarea and zealously preached the Gospel in Antioch. One day, there was an idolatrous feast. The Eparch of Antioch, Asclypiades, went to enter a pagan temple to offer sacrifices, but Romanus stood in the way and said: “You sin, O Governor when you go to the idols. The idols are not gods—Christ is the only true God.” The enraged eparch subjected Romanus to tortures and had him flogged and scraped without mercy. During this, St. Romanus saw a child by the name of Barulas, and said to Asclypiades: “Even this small child has more understanding than you, old man, for he knows the true God and you do not.” The eparch questioned Barulas about his faith, and he confessed Christ the Lord as the One True God, contrary to false idolatry. Asclypiades commanded that young Barulas be beheaded, and St. Romanus be strangled in prison. Thus, both of these martyrs inherited the Kingdom of Christ in the year 303.
- Hieromartyr Zacchaeus, deacon, and Martyr Alphaeus, reader, of Caesarea in Palestine (303).
- Martyr Romanus, who suffered under Maximian, at Antioch (305).
- Mawes, bishop in Cornwall and Brittany (5th c.).
- Odo, abbot, of Cluny (942).
- Helen, abbess of Novodevichy Convent (Moscow) (1547).
- New Martyr Anastasius of Paramythia in Epirus (1750) and New Monk-martyr Daniel of Corfu (18th ).
- Synaxis of the Saints of Estonia.
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Holy Martyrs Romanus and Barulas
Barulas beheld the tortures of St. Romanus,
And Romanus beheld Barulas, sad and tear-stained.
Barulas had a child’s innocent soul;
Barulas had a heart purer than a lily.
And the wicked eparch asked Barulas:
“Come, my child, without bribery, speak the truth:
Is Christ better, or our gods?”
“Christ is far better than your idols!”
“Had I known, O Child, I would not have asked you!
How is Christ better? Come, tell me.”
“Christ is the Creator of the world,
Idols are fancies of the demon’s kingdom.”
The governor, now furious, beat the child.
But this was pleasant to the child, and he spoke louder:
“O people, abandon the cursed demons,
Christ alone is God; He enlightens men.”
Barulas’s mother stood by, and encouraged her son:
“Become worthy, O Son, of the rank of martyrdom.”
As a lamb beneath the sword, Barulas bent his neck,
And glorified Christ, himself and his mother.
To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
you can purchase your copy of the Prologue of Ohrid at our St. Sebastian Bookstore
or download our Kindle E-Book version at Amazon.com.