Saturday June 25/July 8 ns 2023 • Holy Nun-Martyr Febronía > Fish, wine, and olive oil are permitted > Rom. 8:14–21; St. Matt. 9:9–13 > Holy Martyr Febronia Quote

A P O S T L E S'   F A S T

Fish, wine and olive oil permitted today
Saturday June 25/July 8 ns 2023

• Holy Nun-Martyr Febronía

+Febronía was the daughter of Prosphorus, a senator from Rome. In order to avoid marriage with a mortal man, Febronía betrothed herself to Christ and was tonsured a nun in the east, in the country of Assyria, in a convent where her aunt Bryaena was abbess. Lysimachus, the son of a nobleman, desired to wed Febronía but since Emperor Diocletian suspected him to be a secret Christian, he sent Lysimachus to the east with his uncle Silenus to apprehend and kill Christians. Silenus was as cruel as a beast and exterminated Christians everywhere without mercy.

Lysimachus, on the contrary, spared the Christians wherever he could and hid them from his beast-like uncle. Making Palmyra a wasteland of Christians, Silenus came to the town of Nisibis close to which was a convent with fifty ascetics among whom was Febronía. Even though she was only twenty years old, Febronía was respected in the convent and in the town because of her great meekness, wisdom and restraint. In this convent the rule of the former abbess Blessed Platonida was adhered to in that every Friday be spent only in prayer and the reading of the sacred books without any other type of work. Bryaena had designated Febronía to read the sacred books to the sisters hidden behind a curtain so that no one would be distracted and captivated by the beauty of her face. Hearing about Febronía , Silenus ordered that Febronía be brought to him. But, when the holy virgin refused to deny Christ and to agree to enter into marriage with a mortal man, Silenus ordered her to be whipped, and after that to knock out her teeth, cut off her hands, breasts then legs and finally to slay her with a sword. However, a horrible punishment from God befell the torturer the same day. A rage entered into him and he was overcome by a deadly horror. In this horror he struck his head against a marble pillar and fell dead. Lysimachus ordered that Febronía's body be gathered and brought to the convent where it was honorably buried and he, with many other soldiers, were baptized.

Many healings have occurred from the relics of St. Febronía and she appeared on the day of her feast and stood in her usual place among the sisters and all the sisters looked upon her with fear and rejoicing. St. Febronía suffered and took up habitation in eternal blessedness in the year 310 A.D. In the year 363 A.D., her relics were translated to Constantinople.

The virgin Febronía, confesses Christ

Before judgment standing, bloody and pale.

As a palm branch, the young Febronía.

From beautiful fruit, a branch became heavy,

And to Silenus she speaks:
"A Bridegroom, have I,

And no type of honor, from you do I accept,

Christ is my glory, Christ is my pride,

O yes, the beautiful countenance of my Bridegroom!"

Cut off, cut off my feet - paths they have traveled!

Cut off, cut off my hands - work they have completed!

Cut out, cut out my tongue - with my heart I will pray!

Smash, smash my mouth - with my heart, I will speak!

Whip, crush the body - why do I need the body?

A more beautiful garment, the Bridegroom has prepared,

Among many holy ones, in the heavens above,

Among the angels, in sweet Paradise.

Do not think Silenus, that when I depart,

That the fury of your life will die.

But hear me and remember: behold the same day

Before the Living God, together we will go:

You as a torturer and I, tortured by you,

Each, his deeds, will bring with him.

ROMANS 8:14-21 KJV

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

SAINT MATTHEW 9:9-13 KJV

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.