September 8 / August 26

1. The Holy Martyrs Adrian and his wife Natalia, and 23 companions, of Nicomedia (305-311)

Adrian and Natalia were husband and wife, both of noble and wealthy families from Nicomedia. Adrian was a pagan and the head of the Praetorium. Natalia was secretly a Christian. They were both young and lived together in marriage for only thirteen months before their martyrdom. When the wicked Emperor Maximian visited Nicomedia, he ordered that Christians be seized and subjected to torture. Twenty-three Christians were hidden in a cave near the city. Someone reported them to the authorities. They were flogged cruelly with cattle whips, beaten with rods, and cast into prison. Soon they were taken before the Praetor to register their names. Adrian observed these people—serene and meek, tortured but patient. He made them swear to tell him what they thought their God would give them for enduring so many tortures. They told him of the bless- edness of the righteous in the Kingdom of God. With that, Adrian turned to the scribe at once and said to him: “Write my name with these saints— I am a Christian also!” When the emperor learned of this, he asked Adrian: “Have you gone out of your mind?” Adrian replied: “I have not gone out of my mind—rather, I have come to my senses.” When she heard of this, Natalia greatly rejoiced. As Adrian sat with the others, chained and in prison, she came and ministered to all of them. When they flogged and intensely tortured her husband, Natalia encouraged him to endure to the end. After lengthy torments and imprisonment, the emperor ordered that the prisoners’ arms and legs be broken with a hammer and anvil. This was done. With twenty-three fellow Christian men, Adrian gave up the spirit under the greatest of tortures. Natalia took their relics to Argyropolis (near Constantinople) and buried them honorably there. After a few days, Adrian appeared to her in heavenly radiance and called out that she should also come to God, and she peacefully gave up her spirit to God.

2.  The Venerable Tithoes of the Thebaid

Tithoes, a disciple of St. Pachomius, was renowned among the ascet- ics of Egypt. He was Abbot of Tabennisi Monastery. He lived his entire life in absolute purity. Once a brother asked him: “What path leads to humil- ity?” Tithoes replied: “The path to humility is abstinence, prayer and know- ing that you are lower than everything.” Tithoes attained a very high de- gree of perfection—whenever he lifted his hands in prayer, his spirit rose into ecstasy. He reposed in the Lord in the fourth or fifth century. The Venerable Ibistion is commemorated together with him.

3. Saint Zer-Jacob, Missionary of Ethiopia

Jacob was a great Christian missionary in Abyssinia.

4.  The Miracle of the Most-holy Theotokos in Moscow in the year 1395

See “Reflection” .

• Maximus, archbishop of Jerusalem (347).
• Ibestion the Confessor, Egyptian ascetic (ca. 450).
• Adrian of Uglich (after 1504).
• Adrian, founder of Ondrusov Monastery (Karelia) (1549).
• Blessed Cyprian of Storozhev, former outlaw (16th ).
• Finding of the relics (1748) of St. Bassian, schemamonk of Alatyr Monast. (ca. 1698).
• Maria of Diveyevo, fool-for-Christ (1931).
• New Hieromartyr Nectarius, bishop of Yaransk (1937).
• New Hiero-confessor Roman, archpriest, of Moscow (1937).
• (Greek : Monk Ioasaph, prince of India [4th c.]).
• The miraculous renewal of the Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos in Harbin (Manchu- ria) (1925).

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Holy Martyr Adrian and his wife, Saint Natalia, and the Twenty-three Martyrs

The path is thorny, but there are roses in Paradise;
Sufferings are bitter, but Christ is sweet.
What is that sound in the darkened dungeon?
The hammer strikes the hard anvil,
But it does not forge iron or lead:
It breaks the martyr’s legs;
It breaks the martyr’s arms;
The martyr is Christ’s soldier.
One noble white hand
Falls to the dust, blood-stained— St. Adrian’s hand.
St. Natalia took her husband’s hand,
And ran from prison with it.
She washed this hand, wrapped it in silk,
And kissed and bedewed it with tears.
Wherever she goes, she bears his hand with her.
She places it under her head in sleep,
And quietly whispers to the severed hand:
“O hand of my holy Adrian, You have helped me often.
Help me again, O hand; Raise me to heaven quickly,
To where Adrian lives with the saints.”
Indeed, her wait was short;
Adrian appeared to Natalia,
More beautiful and brilliant than a king,
And his heavenly voice invited her:
“Come to me, Natalia my sister;
Come to me, and you shall live eternally.
The King summons you to the Eternal Kingdom!

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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
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