Saturday December 14/27 ns 2025 • Holy Martyrs Thyrsos, Lévkios, & Callínicos; Holy Martyrs Philémon, Apollónios, Arrianós, et al. ~ ~ Eph. 2:11-13; St. Luke 14:1-11

Saturday

December 14

December 27 new style

2025

 

Nativity Fast

Fish, wine and olive oil are permitted

The Holy Martyrs Thyrsos and Levkios were honorable citizens of Caesarea of Bithynia, the former being baptized and the latter being a Christian catechumen. Callínicos, however, was a pagan priest. When Emperor Decius's heir, Cumbricius, began to mercilessly torture and murder Christians, the fearless Levkios appeared before him and, reproaching him, said: "Why have you waged war against your own soul, O Cumbricius?'' The enraged judge ordered that he be flogged, tortured and finally beheaded. The tortured Levkios went to his beheading as joyfully as if he were going to a wedding. Witnessing the death of the courageous Levkios, blessed Thyrsos, inflamed with divine zeal like that of Levkios, also appeared before the judge and reproached him for his evil crimes and for his unbelief in the One True God. He also was flogged and cast into prison. The invisible hand of God healed him of his wounds, opened the prison door and led him out. Thyrsos immediately went to Phileas, the Bishop of Caesarea, to be baptized by him. After his baptism, he was again seized and tortured, but he endured the tortures, bearing them as though in a dream and not in reality. By the power of his prayer, many idols fell down. The pagan priest Callinicos, upon seeing this, converted to the Christian Faith, and both he and Thyrsos were condemned to death. Callinicos was beheaded, and they placed Thyrsos in a wooden coffin to be sawn in half. However, the power of God would not permit this, and the saw was unable to cut into the wood. Then St. Thyrsos arose from the coffin and prayed to God, rendering Him thanks for the tortures, and he peacefully gave up his soul to his Lord. At the end of the fourth century, the Emperor Flavian built a church to St. Thyrsos near Constantinople and placed his holy relics in it. The saint appeared in a vision to Empress Pulcheria and counseled her to bury the relics of the Forty Martyrs alongside his.

The Holy Martyrs Philemon,

Apollónios, Arrianós, et al

Ephesians 2:11-13 KJV

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Saint Luke 14:1-11 KJV

14 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

WOUN\DED BY LOVE

and may happen to you

by Saint Porphyrios the Athonite

There is no question of laziness. I liked to pray even when I was tired. When I was exhausted I sought God even more. You must believe this and realize that it's truly possible. It's a matter of love. It's not simply that you work quickly. You do one job, then you begin another, you come back and do yet another, and you make sure that you finish them all; you water, you hoe, you bring earth and branches, you go up the mountain, you fetch wood for your wood carving. With love you are in perpetual motion. Therefore you should see where sins go. They all fall into a deep sleep. Do you hear? This is truly a life lost from the world, a blessed and holy life, a life in Paradise.