November 6 / October 24

1. The Holy Martyr Arethas of Omir and 4,299 Martyrs with him

This holy martyr suffered for the Christian Faith with over four thou- sand Christians—priests, monks and nuns, men, women and children. Arethas was the eparch in the town of Nagran, in the southern Arabian land of Omir. He was ninety-five years old when he suffered. Dunaan, a cruel Jewish persecutor of Christians, then governed Omir. Determined to eradicate all Christians from his land, he surrounded the Christian town of Nagran, and sent a message to the people saying he would put them all to death unless they renounced Christ. The citizens closed the gates, and Dunaan attacked the city wall for a long time without success. Then the iniquitous governor swore to the citizens that he would do nothing to them, if only they would open the gate for him to enter and receive the tribute that they owed him—and that he would take it and immediately withdraw. The Christians believed him and opened the gate. Then the oath-breaking Jew summoned the aged Arethas, the clergy and other distinguished citizens and beheaded them all with the sword. He then perpetrated a horrible slaughter in the town, killing 4,299 martyrs, including Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters.

Learning of this, the Byzantine Emperor Justin was greatly grieved, and wrote a letter to the Ethiopian Emperor, Elesbaan, requesting him to set out with an army against Dunaan to avenge the innocent blood of the Christians. Elesbaan obeyed Justin, attacked the governor of Omir with his army, defeated him, slew his entire army, and beheaded him. By a revelation from God, a certain devout man named

The Holy Martyr Arethas (fresco in Protaton, Mount Athos, 14th c.)

Abramius was installed as governor of Omir, and again by God’s revelation, St. Gregory of Omir (December 19) was installed as archbishop. Christians rebuilt the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nagran that Dunaan had burned, and also built a church to the Holy Martyr Arethas and the other martyrs of Nagran. St. Arethas and the others suffered and received martyr’s wreaths from the Lord in the year 523.

2. Saint Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia

Inflamed with zeal for the Christian Faith, this pious king raised an army against the governor Dunaan, the wicked persecutor of Christians in the land of Omir. However, at the battle’s outset, Elesbaan had little suc- cess and much of his army perished in the arid desert. He then wept bitterly before God, and vowed to become a monk if God would help him conquer the mortal enemy of Christianity. Defeating Dunaan, Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, immediately left the imperial court and entered a monastery, where he lived a strict life of asceticism as a true monk for fifteen full years. God endowed him with the grace of miracle-working before and after his death. He entered into rest in the year 553.

3. The Icon of the Holy Theotokos, “Joy of All Who Sorrow” (1688) This name is given to one of the wonderworking icons of the Most- holy On this day the icon is celebrated for the miraculous heal- ing in Moscow, of Euphemia, the sister of Patriarch Joachim, in the year 1688. Euphemia had a serious wound in the side and as the doctors failed in their treatments, she prayed with tears to the Most-holy Theotokos. Then, she heard a voice: “Euphemia, go to the Church of the Transfiguration of my Son; there you will find the icon, ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow.’ Have the priest pray for you before this icon and you will be healed.” Euphemia did so, and was immediately made well.

4. The Venerable Arethas of the Monastery of the Kiev Caves

He reposed in the year 1190. (See “Reflection” below.)

Sebastiana, disciple of Apostle Paul, martyred at Heraclea (86).*
Martyr Acacius of Armenia (303).
Maglorius, bishop of Dol (Brittany) (ca. 575).
Senoch, abbot, of Tours (Gaul) (576).

* In the Greek Synaxarion, the Holy Martyr Sebastiana is also commemorated. She was a disciple of the Apostle Paul and suffered in the reign of Emperor Dometian, in the year 82. She was first tortured in the town of Marcianopolis, where the Apostle Paul appeared to her and said: “Rejoice and do not sorrow, for from here you will go to your town to confess your faith in Christ!” And, indeed, the judge sent her to Heraclea, her place of birth, where

Theophilus the Silent, of the Kiev Caves (12th-13th c.).
Sisoes of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
Athanasius, patriarch of Constantinople (1311).
John, recluse of the Pskov Caves (1616).
Zosima, elder, of Siberia (1833).
New Hieromartyrs Lawrence, bishop of Balakhnin, and Alexis, archpriest, and with them New Martyr Alexis (1918).

HYMN OF PRAISE
to the Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos “Joy of All Who Sorrow”

O Most-holy Mother of God, “Joy of All Who Sorrow,”
Grant thy mercy to us sinners.
Thy Son now sits on the throne of the Eternal Kingdom,
And all our troubles thou seest;
thou knowest them as they occur.
Thou hast always prayed to Christ God for the faithful,
And hast relieved much pain and misery of the sorrowful.
O Holy Virgin, never cease, to the end of time,
To pray for the salvation of our race.
God hast made thee even more glorious than the Seraphim:
O hasten to us, O Joy of all who sorrow!

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.