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Hieromartyr Athenogenes, Bishop of Heracleopolis
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The bishop and the stagtranslated

July 16, 2026 · 1 min read

In the synaxari of Saint Athenogenos, bishop of Pidachthoi, and his disciples, whose memory our Church celebrates every year on July 16, we read a paradoxical event.

Protopresbyter Themistocles Mourtzanou (Dr. of Theology)

The saint had grown up in the monastery where a deer lived. When his disciples were seized by the pagans in the years of the emperor Galerius, the deer informed the saint in human speech of the fact and kissed his feet. The saint was handed over to the unjust judges and they, after leading his disciples to martyrdom, boldly said to Athenagenes: "where is your Christ?" Why didn't he come to save your comrades?' The saint prayed and a voice was heard from heaven. The Lord asked him to have courage and He would be his guardian. The pagans were very afraid and demanded that the saint be sentenced to death. He begged them to kill him in the monastery. Then the deer came and welcomed him and the saint blessed it asking it to offer a fawn every year in memory of the saint and his disciples. And indeed, this was the case for many years, when the aunt was celebrated...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency  ·  Read the full story →
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