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The Holy Martyr Agapius and the seven with him: Publius, Timolaus, Romulus, Alexander, Alexander, Dionysius and Dionysius They all suffered in Palestinian Caesarea at the hand of Urban, the governor, in the time of the Emperor Diocletian. All of them, apart from Agapius, were very young men and were not yet Christians. They had never been baptised with water, but their baptism was of blood. One day these seven were watching how the Christians were being tortured: one in fire, another on the gallows, a third before wild beasts, and when they saw with what patience the Christians endured all these tortures, they were inflamed with zeal for Christ, bound their own hands behind their backs and, thus bound, came before Urban saying: "We too are Christians!" Urban"s flattery and threats were in vain. Agapius, a prominent inhabitant of that city, who had previously suffered somewhat for Christ, joined them, and they were inspired with an even greater faith in and love for the Lord. "They were all beheaded in 303, and went to the courts of the King of heaven.The Holy Martyr Alexander He was from the town of Side in Pamphylia. The Emperor Aurelian"s governor asked him who and what he was, to which Alexander replied that he was a pastor of the flock of Christ. "And where is this flock of Christ", further enquired the evil and suspicious governor. Alexander replied: "Over the whole world live the people whom Christ the Lord created, among whom those who believe in Him are His sheep, but those who have fallen away from their Creator, who are enslaved to creation and the work of men"s hands, to dead idols, such as you, are strangers to His flock, and at the Dreadful Judgement of God will be put on the left with the goats." The wicked judge first commanded that he be whipped with iron flails and then thrown into a burning furnace. But the fire could in no way harm him. Then he was flayed and after that thrown to the wild beasts. But the beasts would not touch him. At last the governor ordered that he be beheaded. But as soon as e pronounced the sentence, an evil spirit took hold of him and made him rabid. He was led howling to his gods, the idols, but on the way the evil spirit wrested his wicked soul from him. St Alexander suffered between 270 and 275. (In the Greek Calendar, St Alexander is commemorated on March 14th).The Holy Martyr Nicander He was an Egyptian. His skin was first flayed from him and then he was beheaded for his faith in Christ. His crime was that, as a doctor, he had helped the Christian martyrs and buried their bodies. He suffered with honour in the year 302.New Martyr Manuel of Crete (1792) The Holy Martyr Manuel of Crete in his childhood was taken into captivity by the Turks, who converted him to Mahometanism. Having grown up, the saint returned to Christ, confessed his faith in Him, and was beheaded on the island of Chios in the year 1792.Venerable Nicander, monk, of Gorodets (Novgorod) (1603) The Monk Nikandr of Gorodnoezersk at the beginning of the XVII Century founded a wilderness monastery at the shore of Lake Gorodna (47 versts from the city of Borovich, 4 versts from the country-church at Sherokhovich). Earlier at this place was the Resurrection monastery. When it was founded is unknown, but in the year 1581 it said in the monastery records, that in the 10 cells lived but 3 elders. The Monk Nikandr was buried in the monastery restored by him. In a church of the monastery vacated in 1764 was a chapel in the name of the Monk Nikandr of Gorodnoezersk. |
