04 Jan 2017
Julian calendar:
22 Dec 2016
Pred. January Next
PayPal
Pred. 2017 Next


The Holy and Great Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer from Bonds, and those with her

The Holy and Great Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer from Bonds, and those with herThis great heroine of the Christian faith was born in Rome into a wealthy senatorial family, her father being a pagan and her mother a Christian. From her early youth, she clave in love to the Lord Jesus, guided in Christian teaching by a devout teacher, Chrysogonus. Under pressure from her father, Anastasia married a pagan landowner, Publius, but, using the pretext of woman"s weakness, she never had physical relations with him. For this, her husband tortured her harshly by imprisonment and starvation, and laid even heavier tortures on her when he discovered that she went secretly to the prisons of the Christian martyrs, minstering to their needs, washing their wounds and loosening their bonds. But, by God"s providence, she was freed from her wicked husband. Publius was sent to Persia by the Emperor, and was drowned on the voyage. Then St Anastasia began to minister openly to the Christian martyrs and, from her great inheritance, helped the poor with alms. The Emperor Diocletian was once in the town of Aquileia, and commanded that Chrysogonus, the confessor of Christ, be brought to him. As he was being brought, Anastasia followed him on the way. Holy Chrysogonus was beheaded at the Emperor"s command, and then three sisters, Agapia, Chionia and Irene (April 16th) suffered, the first two being cast into fire and the third shot through with arrows. St Anastasia took their bodies, wrapped them in white linen and, anointing them with aromatic spices, gave them burial. Then Anastasia went to Macedonia, where she minstered to those who were suffering for Christ. There, she became widely-known as a Christian, for which she was seized and taken for interrogation before various judges. Desiring to die for her beloved Christ, Anastasia constantly clung to Him in her heart. A certain pagan high priest, Ulphian, tried to touch St Anastasia"s body out of lust, but he was suddenly blinded and gave up the ghost. Condemned to death by starvation, St Anastasia lay in prison for thirty days, nourishing herself only with tears and prayers. After that, she was put in a boat with several other Christians to be drowned, but God saved her from this death. She was finally tied hand and foot to four wheels over a fire, and thus gave her holy soul into God"s hands. She suffered and entered into Christ"s Kingdom in 304.

The Holy Martyr Theodota with her three Children

The Holy Martyr Theodota with her three ChildrenLeft a young widow with three children, Theodota gave herself utterly to the service of God and the bringing-up of her children in piety. St Anastasia lived with her when she was in Macedonia, and, together with her, ministered to the Christian captives in the prisons. Taken for trial, Theodota confidently confessed Christ the Lord. She was then sent to the Governor of Bithynia, Nicetas. When a shameless pagan tried to touch her body, an angel of God suddenly appeared beside her and struck the man. Condemned to death and thrown into a glowing furnace with her three children, St Theodota finished her earthly course with honour and entered into the Kingdom of eternal glory.

January 2017
SunMonTueWedThuFriSut
Our Holy Father Elias of Murom
1
oil
St Danilo, Archbishop of Serbia
2
oil
The Holy Martyr Themistocies
3
oil
The Holy Martyr Theodota with her three Children
4
oil
Our Holy Father Nahum, the Wonderworker of Ochrid
5
oil
Our Holy Father Nicolas the Soldier
6
oil
+++ The Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
7
fast-free
Our Holy Father Constantine of Synnada
8
fast-free
Our Holy Fathers, the Martyrs Theodore and Theophanes the Branded
9
fast-free
The Holy Martyr Domna
10
fast-free
Our Holy Fathers Mark the Gravedigger and Theophilus the Weeper
11
fast-free
Our Holy Father, the Martyr Gideon
12
fast-free
Saint Dositej of Zagreb
13
fast-free
New Martyr Peter  of the Peloponnesos
14
fast-free
Venerable Sylvester of the Kiev Caves
15
fast-free
St Genevieve of Paris
16
fast-free
Venerable Euthymius the New of Thessalonica, monk
17
fast-free
Martyr Theoidus
18
strict fast
+++ The Theophany
19
fast-free
The Holy Martyr Athanasius
20
fish
St. Theodore of Constantinople
21
fast-free
St. Peter, bishop of Sebaste in Armenia
22
fast-free
Blessed Theosebia the Deaconess
23
fast-free
Saint Maire martyr
24
fast-free
Virgin Martyr Euthasia
25
oil
Venerable Eleazar of Anzersk Island at Solovki (1656)
26
fast-free
Martyr Agnes
27
fish
The Holy Martyr Pansophius
28
fast-free
Martyrs Neon, Turbo, and the woman Jonilla (Jovilla), in Cappadocia
29
fast-free
St Anthony of Krasny Kholm
30
fast-free
Venerable Marcian of Cyrrhus in Syria
31
fast-free
    
If You liked our Work and effort then please consider to make a kind donation:
PayPal



Moon phases for January , 2017 (Serbia)
05 Jan 2017 First Quarter
12 Jan 2017 Full Moon
20 Jan 2017 Third Quarter
28 Jan 2017 New Moon