November 2 / October 20
1. The Holy Great-martyr Artemius, at Antioch (362)
This glorious saint was an Egyptian by birth and the chief commander under Emperor Constantine the Great. When the victorious Cross, surrounded by stars, appeared to Emperor Constantine, Artemius also saw that Cross, believed in the Lord Christ and was baptized. Later, during the reign of Emperor Constantius, this emperor sent him to Greece to remove the relics of St. Andrew from Patras and St. Luke from Thebes, and to take them to Constantinople. Commander Artemius carried this out with joy. After that, Artemius was appointed as augustalis and imperial prefect in Egypt. He remained in this position during the reign of Constantius, and for a period of time under Emperor Julian the Apostate. When the apostate emperor went to war against the Persians, he came through Antioch and commanded Artemius to come to Antioch with his army. Artemius came. Then the emperor subjected two Christian priests, Eugenius and Macarius, to torture. Seeing this, Artemius became greatly disturbed and, facing the emperor, said: “Why, O Emperor, why do you inhumanly torture these innocent and dedicated men of God, and why do you force them to renounce the Orthodox Faith?” Artemius continued, prophesying: “Your death is near.” The enraged emperor sent those two honorable priests into exile to Arabia, where they died shortly thereafter. He then stripped Commander Artemius of his military rank and ordered him to be flogged and torn asunder. Thoroughly wounded and bloodied, Artemius was thrown into prison, where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to him, and healed and comforted him. Then the emperor commanded that he be spread out on a stone, and that another heavy stone be placed upon him, so that his body would be smashed flat as a board. Finally, St. Artemius was beheaded. It was the year 362. Emperor Julian went out against the Persians and perished dishonorably, as St. Artemius had foretold.
2. The Holy Righteous Artemius of Verkola
Artemius was born in 1532, the son of Russian peasants Cosmas and Apollinaria, from the village of Verkola in the region of Dvina. Even at the age of five, he differed from other children by his rare piety and meekness. When he was thirteen, the child walked with his father through a great forest in severe weather and reposed there. Unable to dig a grave, his grieving father covered his body with branches and departed. Twenty-eight years later, a man saw an unearthly light in the forest. Upon approaching the light, he found the body of Artemius intact and incorrupt. Many of the sick were healed of illnesses as soon as they touched the body of St. Artemius. His holy relics repose in a monastery near Pinega, in the Province of Archangelsk.
3. The Venerable Gerasimus the New, ascetic, of Cephalonia
Gerasimus was from Trikala in the Peloponnese of the prominent Notaras family. He was born in 1509. He lived a life of asceticism on Mount Athos, and then in Palestine, where he fasted for forty days. After that, he settled on the island of Cephalonia, where he founded a convent. By his prayer, he brought down rain, healed the sick, and foretold the future. He rested in the Lord on August 15, 1579. Gerasimus was a miracle-worker both during his life and after his repose.
4. The Venerable New Martyr Ignatius of Bulgaria and Athos (1814) Ignatius was from the Bulgarian region of Eski-Zagora. This is that glorious region of Zagora that has given the Church of God many holy ascetics and martyrs. He lived a life of asceticism in the Skete of St. John the Forerunner on Mount Athos. He willingly gave himself to the Turks to be tortured for Christ, and was hanged in Constantinople on October 8, 1814. His relics are miracle-working, and his head is honorably preserved in the Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos.
- Martyr Zebinas of Caesarea in Palestine (308).
- Martyrs Aborsam and Senoe, of Persia (ca. 341).
- Acca, bishop of Hexham (England) (ca. 740).
- Matrona of Chios (1462).
- Theodosius, hieromonk of Svyatogorsk Monastery (1850).
- New Hieromartyr Nicholas, priest, of Latskoye village, Yaroslavl (1918).
- New Hieromartyr Herman, bishop of Alatyr (1937).
- Gabriel, archimandrite, of Mtskheta (Georgia) (1995).
- Uncovering of the relics (2012) of New Hieromartyr Nikodim, bishop of Belgorod (1918).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Holy Great-martyr Artemius
St. Artemius the commander
Did not hide his faith before the emperor,
But proclaimed his faith with great courage
And glorified Christ God before the emperor.
This apostate emperor forgot God,
And subjected his commander to torment.
The saint dedicated his mind to God
And little felt the cruel tortures,
Since there is a greater suffering for the sinner who tortures
Than for the righteous one being tortured!
The emperor beheaded this glorious commander
But the Lord glorified His servant
And raised him up to the Heavenly Kingdom.
He gave him power to drive out demons,
Grace to heal every sickness and suffering—
All by the power of God, without labor or word.
Whoever loves and believes in Christ,
Has a champion in St. Artemius.
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