VENERABLE SISOES THE GREAT
Sisoes was an Egyptian by birth and a disciple of St. Anthony. Following the death of his great teacher, St. Sisoes settled on a mountain in the wilderness called St. Anthony’s Mount where Anthony lived a life of asceticism earlier. Imposing difficult labors on himself, he humbled himself so much that he became meek and guileless as a lamb. For this God endowed Sisoes with abundant grace so that he was able to heal the sick, drive out unclean spirits and resurrect the dead. Sisoes lived a life of austere mortification in the wilderness for sixty years and was a source of living wisdom for all monks and laymen who came to him for counsel and advice. Before death, his face shone as the sun. The monks stood around him and were astonished at this manifestation. When this saint gave up his soul, the entire room was filled with a sweet-smelling savor. Sisoes died in extreme old age in the year 429 A.D. St. Sisoes taught the monks: “Regardless in what way temptation comes to man, a man should give himself to the will of God and to recognize that temptation occurred because of his sins. If something good happens, it should be said that it happened according to God’s Providence.” One monk asked Sisoes: “How can I please God and be saved?” The saint answered: “If you wish to please God, withdraw from the world, separate yourself from the earth, put aside creation, draw near to the Creator, unite yourself to God with prayers and tears and then you will find rest in this time and in the future.” The monk asked Sisoes: “How can I attain humility?” The saint replied: “When a person learns to recognize every man as being better than himself, with that he attains humility.” Ammon complained to Sisoes that he could not memorize the wise sayings that he read in order to repeat them in conversation with men. The saint replied to him: “That is not necessary. It is necessary to attain purity of mind and speak from that purity placing your hope in God.”
THE HOLY MARTYRS MARINUS [MARIUS] AND MARTHA WITH THEIR SONS AUDIFAX AND ABACHUM [HABAKUK], VALENTINE THE PRESBYTER, CYRINUS, ASTYRIUS [ASTERIUS] AND MANY OTHERS
They all suffered during the reign of Emperor Claudius Flavius in Rome in the year 269 A.D. Marinus and Martha were wealthy people from Persia. They sold all their property in Persia and, with their sons, came to Rome in order to venerate the sacred relics of the holy apostles and other martyrs. When the emperor asked them why they came from such a distance, leaving their [household] domestic gods to seek dead men in Rome, they responded: “We are servants of Christ and we came to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls live with God, that they may be our intercessors before Christ our God.” Cyrinus was thrown into the Tiber river from which his body was removed by Marinus and Martha who honorably buried it. Valentine the priest was handed over to Commander Astyrius so that he would counsel him to deny Christ. But, Valentine, through prayer healed the daughter of Astyrius who, had been blind for two years. Following that, Valentine baptized Astyrius and his entire family. All of them, in various ways underwent suffering and death for Christ the Lord Who received them into His Immortal Kingdom to rejoice eternally.
THE FINDING OF THE RELICS OF SAINT JULIANA THE VIRGIN
Juliana was the daughter of the Prince of Olshansk. She died about the year 1540 A.D. as a virgin of about sixteen years of age. Two hundred years after her death, some men who were digging a new grave alongside the great church in the monastery of the Caves in Kiev found the relics of this holy virgin completely intact and uncorrupt as though she had just fallen asleep. Many miracles occurred from these relics and Juliana herself appeared many times to certain individuals. The renowned Peter Mogila had one such vision.
THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR LUCY
Lucy was taken captive by the barbarian Emperor Austius in Campania. The emperor wanted Lucy to live with him [as his concubine] but she protested. The emperor left her in peace so that she could live a life of asceticism. She even converted the emperor to the Faith because, through her prayer, he gained a victory in battle. In the end she, together with the emperor, were martyred for Christ in Rome about the year 300 A.D.