St. Great Mc. Tenants; St. Cuv. Thomas of Maleon; St. Mc. Gospeltranslated

Orthodox calendar July 7 Holy Great Martyr Chiriachi In the days of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), there was a Christian named Dorotei, with his wife, Eusebia, who, because they had no sons, prayed to God to give them fruit in the womb, promising to give the child that would be born to God.

So, God listened to their prayer and they gave birth to a female child, on Sunday, for which reason they named it Chiriachi (because in Greek the Lord's Day means Sunday, it is called Chiriachi).

And they kept her a virgin, because they had promised to give her to God. But, when Saint Chiriachi was 16 years old, the pagan emperor Diocletian started a persecution against the Christians. Then the Saint's parents were accused, together with her, for being Christians.

So, the royal servants came and, taking all three, separated the maiden from her parents. They took the old men to Melitene in Armenia, where they suffered for Christ from the prefect Justus, and they sent the beautiful Chiriachi in chains to Caesar Maximian Galerius (293-311), in Nicomidia.

He, examining the beautiful virgin and seeing her steadfastness in faith, ordered to be cruel...