Friday Dec 28 2024 / Jan 10 2025 ns • 20,000 Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia, St. Simon the Myrrh-Gusher ~ No Fasting ~ Heb. 7:18-25; St. Mark 12:1-12 ~ BEYOND DEATH: PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

20,000 Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia

St. Simon the Myrrh-Gusher

~ No Fasting ~

During the reign of the wicked Emperor Maximian Hercules, the Christian Faith flourished in Nicomedia and increased day by day. 

At one time the emperor, staying in this city, learned of the large number of Christians and the progress of the Christian Church, and he became greatly embittered and conceived a plan of how to kill them all. The Feast of the Nativity of Christ approached, and the emperor, knowing that all the Christians gathered in the church for this feast, ordered that on that day the church be surrounded by soldiers and set afire. When all the Christians had gathered in the church after midnight and began the solemn celebration, the soldiers surrounded the church and would not permit anyone to leave. The emperor's envoy entered the church and announced to the Christians the emperor's command that they immediately offer sacrifices to the idols or be burned alive. Then the archdeacon, a heroic soldier of Christ, inflamed with divine zeal began to encourage the people, reminding the faithful of the Three Children in the furnace in Babylon. "Behold, brethren,'' he said, "the table of oblation in the sanctuary of the Lord, and understand that our true Lord and God was just now sacrificed for us on it; should we not then lay down our lives for Him in this holy place?'' The people were filled with zeal to die for Christ, and all the catechumens were baptized and chrismated. The soldiers then set fire to the church on all sides, and the Christians, twenty thousand of them in number, were burned in the flames while singing praises to God. The church burned for five days; and smoke with an intoxicating and wonderful fragrance rose from it. A certain marvelous, golden-rayed light manifested itself over this place. Thus, numerous men, women and children gloriously died and received the wreath of eternal glory in the Kingdom of Christ. They suffered and were glorified in the year 302.

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Twenty Thousand Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia

Holy Martyrs, your sufferings have passed,

Your tears wiped away, your wounds healed.

But more suffering still comes, it has not all arrived

Upon God's Church and upon her faithful.

Holy Martyrs, to you we pray:

By your prayers, watch over the Church.

Holy Martyrs, wonderful conquerors,

Against you have risen all the diabolical legions.

As great soldiers, you were without fear;

Your adversaries fell into the abyss.

You now clearly behold the Holy Trinity;

In His light you rejoice.

Holy Martyrs, we praise you for your wounds,

And for your tears and for your pure blood.

You became a fortress of defense for the Church.

Pray for us to the Savior Christ,

To make us worthy to call you brothers,

O honorable knights, children of grace!

Simon was the founder of the Simonopetra Monastery on the Holy Mountain Athos. He was glorified because of his asceticism, visions and miracles. He entered peacefully into rest and went to Christ in the year 1257.

Hebrews 7:18-25 KJV

18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Saint Mark 12:1-12 KJV

12 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.'

8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

BEYOND DEATH:

PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

St Gregory the Dialogist tells of a certain priest who was accustomed to visiting warm baths. Once when he came to the baths he found there a man whom he did not know, yet this man began helping the priest to undress. He took off the priest’s boots and clothes with the promise that he would keep them safe. When the priest came out of the bath, the strange man gave him a piece of linen to wipe off his sweat, helped him to dress, and assisted him in all ways with the utmost respect. This happened several times when the priest came to the baths, and was met by the stranger and assisted by him. Finally, the priest wished to express his gratitude for this diligence. Once when he came to the baths he brought two eucharistic breads (prosphora) in order to give them to the stranger. He met the man as usual and after the bath asked him to accept the breads as a sign of affection. The stranger began to weep and said, “Father, why do you give me these? I cannot eat. Once I was the proprietor of this place, but for my sins I have been condemned to stay here. If you wish to do something for me, offer this bread for me to the all-powerful God and pray for my sins. If you come here and do not find me, you may know that your prayer has been heard by God.” Having said this, the stranger instantly became invisible. The priest then understood that the strange man who assisted him at the baths was a spirit. The priest spent a whole week weeping and praying God to forgive that man’s sins, and every day he offered for him the bloodless sacrifice. After a week he came again to the baths, but he no longer saw the stranger there and never met him again.