Monday August 12/25 ns 2025 • Holy Martyrs Phótios and Aníketos ~ Fast day ~ II Cor. 5:10-15; St. Mark 1:9-15 ~ HE IS CALLED MAN by Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian)

Today we praise in love

The Holy Martyrs

Phótios and Aníketos

~ Fast day ~

Entrance to the Cave Church of the

Holy Martyrs Phótios and Aníketos

 

Emperor Diocletian once visited the city of Nicomedia with the evil intention to completely exterminate the Christians. But when he began his merciless torture of Christians, St. Aníketos, one of the high ranking officials of the city, boldly confessed before the emperor his faith in Christ the Lord, God incarnate in the flesh for our salvation. Along with this, Aníketos also denounced the idols as deaf and dumb stones and the worship of which is unworthy of a rational man. The emperor ordered his tongue to be severed but Aníketos, by the power of God, continued to speak. They then released a lion against him but the lion cuddled around him. At that moment the temple of Hercules collapsed. Phótios, a kinsman of Aníketos, seeing the miracles and endurance of Aníketos, kissed him, declared himself a Christian and cried out to the emperor: " O idolater, be ashamed, your gods are nothingness!" The emperor then ordered that Aníketos immediately be beheaded. However, the executioner, raising his hand against holy Phótios, struck himself with the sword and died.


After prolonged tortures, both Aníketos and Phótios were cast into prison where they languished for three years. Then they were brought out, a fire was lighted in an enormous furnace and they cast them into the fire. Many other Christians, men, women and children, willingly followed them into the fire. From the fire was heard the prayer of the Christians who were praising God for the death of martyrdom. They all suffered about the year 305 A.D. "Saint Aníketos and Saint Phótios are invoked in the prayers in the Holy Mystery of Anointing with [Holy Unction] and in the Blessing of Water."

2 Corinthians 5:10-15 KJV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Saint Mark 1:9-15 KJV

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

HE IS CALLED MAN

by Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian),
“The Fourth Theological Oration”

He is called Man, not only that through His Body He may be apprehended by "embodied" creatures, whereas otherwise this would be impossible because of His incomprehensible nature; also that by Himself He may sanctify humanity, and be as it were a leaven to the whole lump; and by uniting to Himself that which was condemned may release it from all, becoming for all men all things that we are, except sin; – body, soul, mind and all through which death reaches – and thus He became Man, who is the combination of all these; God in visible form, because He retained that which is perceived by mind alone. He is Son of Man, both on account of Adam and of the Virgin from whom He came; from the one as a forefather, from the other as His Mother, both in accordance with the law of generation and apart from it.