September 6: Holy New Martyr Lygeri Hiopolite celebratestranslated

Today, September 6, the Church, in the resurrection atmosphere of Byzantine hymnology, commemorates the miracle of the Archangel Michael in Chonai and honors the memory of the Martyrs Andrew, Andronikos the soldier, Andropelagia, Thekla and the Saint Neomartyr Lygeri of Chiopolitis.

By LAMBROS K. SKONTZOU, Theologian - Professor

Saint Neomartys Lygeri the Hiopolite Among the multitude of our heroic New Martyrs there are also many Christian daughters, who exchanged their confession to Christ with their lives and preserved their honor from the obscene and non-religious tyrants. One of them is the holy and glorious Neomartys Lygeri Hiopolitis.

She was born around 1804 in the village of Anavato on the martyred island of Chios, which experienced the harshest face of Turkish slavery. Her parents were simple islanders, but they had unwavering faith in God, giving them strength to continue the bitter life of slavery. To endure the humiliations, the drudgery, the heavy taxation and their relegation to the category of animals. As "infidels," according to the Koran and Islamic traditions, their lives had little value for…