THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR TATIANA
Saint Tatiana was a Roman whose parents were of great nobility. She was a Christian and a deaconess in the church. After the death of Emperor Heliogabalus, Emperor Alexander, whose mother Mammaea was a Christian, reigned in Rome. The emperor himself was wavering and indecisive in the Faith for he kept statues of Christ, Apollo, Abraham and Orpheus in his palace. His chief assistants persecuted the Christians without the emperor’s orders. When they brought out the virgin Tatiana for torture, she prayed to God for her torturers. And behold, their eyes were opened and they saw four angels around the martyr. Seeing this, eight of them believed in Christ for which they also were tortured and slain. The tormentors continued to torture St. Tatiana. They whipped her, cut off parts of her body; they scraped her with irons. So all disfigured and bloody, Tatiana was thrown into the dungeon that evening so that the next day, they could, again, begin anew with different tortures. But God sent His angels to the dungeon to encourage her and to heal her wounds so that, each morning, Tatiana appeared before the torturers completely healed. They threw her before a lion, but the lion endeared himself to her and did her no harm. They cut off her hair, thinking, according to their pagan reasoning, that some sorcery or some magical power was concealed in her hair. Finally, Tatiana along with her father were both beheaded. Thus, Tatiana ended her earthly life about the year 225 A.D., and this heroic virgin, who had the fragile body of a woman but a robust and valiant spirit, was crowned with the immortal wreath of glory.
The Holy Martyr Peter Apselamos
The Holy Martyr Peter Apselamos was a native of the village of Aneia in Palestine. During the fourth century persecution against Christians he was arrested and brought to Severus, the governor of Palestine. In vain did the judge and the people urge him to escape torture by sacrificing to the pagan gods. “I will spare myself by remaining faithful to the truth and refusing to offer sacrifice to lifeless idols,” the saint replied. “Whoever offers sacrifice to false gods will perish.” Severus was enraged, and ordered the holy martyr to be tortured without mercy. Finally, he was crucified during the reign of Maximian, while our Lord Jesus Christ was reigning unto the ages of ages. In some Lives of the Saints he is listed twice: on January 12 as the martyr Peter Apselamos, and on January 13 as Peter of Aneia, because it was mistakenly assumed that they were different persons.
Saint Eupraxia the Elder
Saint Eupraxia the Elder was the mother of St. Eupraxia, maiden of Tabennisi. She was the wife of the pious senator Antigonos, who was related to the emperor Theodosios the Great (379-395). Following the birth of their daughter, the couple decided to live from that time forward as brother and sister. They distributed alms to the poor, hoping to inherit the heavenly Kingdom.After she was widowed, St. Eupraxia devoted herself completely to the service of the Lord. After visiting several monastic establishments and bestowing liberal alms, she came to the Tabennisi monastery in Egypt, where the abbess was the nun Theodoula, known for her strict rule. Deeply moved by the pure way of monastic life, St. Eupraxia came often to this monastery and always brought her eight-year-old daughter with her. The virtues and prayers of her parents bestowed a particular grace of God upon the child, who desired to dedicate herself to God. To her mother’s great joy, the abbess Theodoula kept the younger Eupraxia at the convent and blessed her to receive monastic tonsure.St. Eupraxia the elder continued her works of charity, and increased her fasting and prayer. Abbess Theodoula, possessing the gift of clairvoyance, told her of her impending end. Learning of her imminent death, Eupraxia gave thanks to the Lord for His great mercy towards her. She bid farewell to the sisters of the convent and to her daughter. She left her with these parting words: “Love the Lord Jesus Christ, and respect the sisters. Never dare to think that they are below you and should serve you. Be poor in your thoughts in order to profit by spiritual treasures. Also remember your father and me, and pray for the salvation of our souls.” After three days the saint surrendered her soul to the Lord (+ 393) and was buried at the monastery, where her daughter continued her ascetic struggles.
THE VENERABLE MOTHER THEODORA
Theodora was a glorious nun and teacher of the nuns from Alexandria. “Just as trees require winter and snow in order to bear fruit, so trials and temptations are needed for our life,” spoke this holy woman. She died peacefully at the beginning of the fifth century.
Saint Martinian of White Lake
Saint Martinian of White Lake, in the world Michael, was born in the year 1370 in the village of Berezniko, not far from the Cyrilov monastery. At age thirteen he left his parents and went secretly to St. Cyril of White Lake (June 9), whom many described as a great ascetic. The young Martinian began zealously to imitate his teacher, with whom he dwelt in complete obedience. At the monastery he studied reading and writing, and with the blessing of St. Cyril, he occupied himself with the copying of books. In time Martinian was ordained deacon and then hieromonk. After the death of St. Cyril (+ 1427), Martinian withdrew to a deserted island on Lake Vozha. Several monks gradually gathered around him. St. Martinian established for them the church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and introduced a general Rule for the inhabitants. Yielding to the persistent requests of the brethren of Therapon monastery, he consented to become igumen of the monastery and brought it into an improved condition. St. Martinian gave spiritual support to Great Prince Basil in the difficulties of his time, when his first-cousin Dimitrios Shemyaka illicitly sought the Moscow throne. He was always an advocate of truth and justice. Afterwards, upon the entreaty of the Great Prince, the saint accepted the governance of the monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh. In 1455, St. Martinian returned to the Therapon monastery. In his last years he was grievously ill and not able to walk, so the brethren carried him to church. He died at age 85. His relics were uncovered in the year 1514, and this event is celebrated on October 7.
Saint Galaktion of White Lake
Saint Galaktion of White Lake was a disciple and cell-attendant of St. Martinian of White Lake and lived together with his mentor at the Therapon monastery. The monk Galaktion cared for the aged Abba Martinian with a filial love. When his preceptor became completely infirm of body, Galaktion took him to church on his shoulders. Beholding the spiritual maturity of his disciple, St. Martinian blessed St. Galaktion in his spiritual deed of foolishness. By his secret ascetic deeds St. Galaktion attained high spiritual perfection, and obtained the grace of clairvoyance. He foretold that Kazan would be conquered by Tsar Ivan, who was not yet born. He foresaw his own end and the end of several of his fellow ascetics, and he also spoke of the fires and other disasters awaiting Therapon monastery. St. Galaktion died in the year 1506 and was buried at the foot of his teacher, St. Martinian, at Therapon monastery.
THE FEAST OF THE ICON OF OUR LADY NURSING THE CHRIST CHILD [MLEKOPITATELNICA]
This is the name of the icon of the All-Holy Mother of God which the Serbian Saint Sava [Sabas] brought from the Monastery of St. Sabas the Sanctified, near Jerusalem. And so, the prophecy spoken of by St. Sabas the Sanctified, some eight-hundred years earlier, that a certain Serbian priest by the name of Sava [Sabas] will come and that this icon and his crozier (staff) be given to him, was fulfilled. When St. Sava the Serbian visited the Monastery of St. Sabas the Sanctified, the monks recalled the prophecy of the founder of their monastery and gave to Sava the Serbian this icon and crozier. This icon [Mlekopitatelnica] was placed on the right side of the Royal Doors on the iconastasis, in Sava’s hermitage [Isposnica-House of Silence] in Karayes [Mt. Athos] and the crosier placed in an adjacent cell known as the “Paterica“.