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Holy Great Martyr Nikita Goth, disciple of Theophilus († around 340), bishop of Goth. When King Athanaric, a rival of another king Friedigern, an ally of the Roman Empire and a well-wishing Christian, noticed that Christianity was spreading in his domains through Friedigern’s subjects, he declared a ban on Christianity and put many of the obvious Christians to death. Nikita, burning with zeal for the faith, denounced Athanaric to his face for his cruelty, and therefore was mercilessly beaten and thrown into the fire (in 372). His relics were transferred by a certain Greek merchant to the city of Mopsuet, in Cilicia, from where, probably in the 7th century, they were transferred to Constantinople. Saint Philotheus, presbyter and wonderworker This saint lived in the 9th century and was a native of the town of Muravinoye (Μύρμηξ), in Bithynia. The daughter of pious parents, Theophila, having entered into marriage, gave birth to a son, whom she named Philotheus (God-loving), - by the very name she wanted to instill in her son a suitable lot: so that, what to eat, when he stops crawling, learns to speak and finds out what name he has been honored with, he would make his natural man more pleasing to God and would be ashamed to dishonor such a beautiful and holy name with obscene deeds. And, indeed, (says his biography Evstvfiy, Metropolitan of Thessaloniki of the 11th century) the blessed youth tried to justify his name by his activities, and both by name and by deeds he drew in himself the image of God, studying the word of God and reflecting on the statutes of God, taking comfort in the revelations of the Lord and consulting with His commandments (Ps. 119:23-24), often visiting the church of God, this school of virtue, going there to regular meetings and saturating my spirit there. Not only by speculation, but even more by decent activity, he wisely approached the Highest Being - activity, which is partly evidenced by his charity and curbing of the belly. Because, draining from his bodily vessel all the extra juices and moisture with which a person relaxes, and alleviating the attraction to the earth by fasting, he tried to be higher than the earth, like the angels and in accordance with the Gospel commandments, considering it an unworthy thing to be inscribed with one close to God, the Supreme Father of lights (James 1:17), but to become attached to mother earth (Matthew 10:37) and to prefer the heavenly longer and lower. Or maybe, without filling his belly, he expanded his outer storehouses and thought about erecting even larger ones (see Luke 12)? No! With the blessing of God, he had earthly wealth and all everyday needs in such abundance as happiness on earth can only be measured; but sociability, concern for others and love for mankind, guided by the Gospel, disposed the holy man to communicate his goods to others, to share the blessing of God with those of one nature and to entrust treasures to the wombs of the poor, to put them in precisely those depositories that God Himself points to (Matthew 19:21), saying: sell your possessions and give alms; prepare for yourselves sheaths that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and where moth does not destroy (Luke 12:33). He rejoiced, giving generously, as if he had not given, but himself accepted generous gifts; and in general he tried, in the apostolic way, to be everything to everyone (Cor. 9:22). And his giving was neither meager nor hypocritical (unless someone would say that he who sows seed in the hope of a future harvest sows hypocritically). Since there are many paths of virtue and the ascent to the heights of perfection does not occur in the same way, Philotheus also considered which path he should choose for the safest and most comfortable course of life and pleasing God. To many, a solitary and non-luxurious life seems superior to others, when a person has nothing and looks after only himself - therefore they look for remote and deserted places; others take refuge in caves and the bowels of the earth, and do many other things in order to avoid the worries of life, pride and vanity, and not expose themselves to the dangers of civil life. And St. Philotheus, having considered many other things, although at first he strove for a hermit life, but, having carefully weighed for himself the advantages and disadvantages of a solitary and civil life, he decided to lead a virtuous civil life, in which the most blessed Job shone in a very godly manner. Philotheus revealed his thoughts to his parents, who were glad that they had not forced him to make a decision, and that they would be comforted by the children of their son. The Lord God blessed the marriage with such children who are worthy of the blessing of a father and mother who rejoices over her children. When the good part of the priesthood came to his mind and, according to the sacred rules, testimony about him was required, then, as often happens, not only from prominent and wealthy persons in society did he receive good testimony about himself (1 Tim. 3:7). As soon as the rumor spread that Philotheus needed the approval of the local residents to receive the priesthood, everyone unanimously approved of this man, who was not unknown and asked about him. Having accepted the priesthood, he truly seemed like a bright angel and an ardent servant of God’s commandments. He remained in sacred meetings, listened to divine psalms and songs, either reading and singing them for the benefit of those listening, or doing it privately for the enrichment of his own soul, and so that, having collected enough for himself today, he could offer it to others who wanted to take advantage of it tomorrow. His house was in many ways similar to the house of God. He devoted a little time to his previous usual activities around the house and everything that was necessary for those living in the world. He loved not only to plow the land with hired hands for various kinds of sowing, but also to work around it with his own hands, considering this a noble and decent deed for a person. And farming attracted him not only because it is an honest occupation, but also because it dries up excess moisture in the body, strengthens a person and accustoms him to patience and constancy in his activities, and therefore to virtue. Thus, teaching his soul lessons from the earth, he acquired enough for his household, and gave bread to those in need from his righteous labors. And not only for his holy life, but also for his gift of miracles, Philotheus was famous throughout that country. With his prayers, anointing with oil and the laying on of hands, he healed the sick, comforted the sorrowful, and through intercession with God turned away His righteous anger. The Lord did many glorious things through him! And after his death, as a testimony to future generations, he made his body worthy of incorruption. Namely, a year after the burial, two priests (because there were two priests in Muravyino), at the request of the parishioners, moved his coffin to a specially arranged place, and at the same time it was discovered that the remains of the saint were not touched by corruption and the coffin itself was filled with the world that miraculously flowed from them. †The exploits of St. Philius, Bishop of Tomsk, and with him many When Licinius (320) raised a persecution against Christianity that was as cruel as it was cunning, explicitly ordered bishops, soldiers and courtiers to be put on trial for disobedience to the pagan state law, and secretly made it known to persecute all Christians, 132 - in Scythia Minor, Saint Philius, Bishop of Tomsk, was the first to attract the wrath of the pagan authorities. They demanded him to stand trial and at the same time they began to arrest Christians in different places in Scythia. They beat the saint with sticks until he was half to death, locked him in prison, again subjected him to inhuman torture, and finally, according to a judicial verdict, they threw him into the sea; His body, having sailed to the shore, was transferred by reverent people to the country house of the pious Amand, and here it became famous for its miraculous healings. 133 On the same third day of January, three brothers Argeus, Narcissus and young Markellinus, as well as two Eugenes, Claudion and Rod, completed their martyrdom in Tomi. After torture, the brothers were also thrown into the sea. 134 April 3 in Tomy St. was put to death. Evagrius and Benignus. Blessed Amand also followed his beloved teacher: he and several others were martyred on June 6 “in the city of Novidun,” otherwise in New Dunajec, the glorious city of Scythia Minor. 135 Here on June 4, after long torture and imprisonment, St. Zotik, Lykian and Ilia. The latter in the Greek news is called ͗Ηλει, and not ͗Ηλεις: the Greek retained the Slavic name of Elijah, not suspecting that this is one and the same as Elijah. From St. They were hit by Zotik on the same day – June 4th and in the same place – in Nowy Dunajec St. Komar, Gaddun, Ninit, Julia and up to 30 other elders of the faith. 136 – On September 17, three young courtiers, exiled by Licinius to Scythia Minor, immediately completed their feat. 137 Two days before that, “in the city of Tomakh” the suffering ended with the glorious death of St. Stratora, Valeria, Macrovia and Gordiana; Finally, on October 1, they were crowned with the crown of martyrdom in Toms “St. Priscus, Criscent and Evagrius." 138 Thus, at Licinia, whole hosts of martyrs for St. appeared in Scythia Minor, a Slavic country. faith. The boundless grace of God, which is invariably and persistently vigilant over every human soul, does not leave it even in those moments when it itself, apparently, is completely separated from God. Thus, the grace of God touched and overshadowed the dark pagan Porfiry - at the moment when, out of ignorance, he mocked the shrine, when, to please the apostate from Christ, Emperor Julian, laughing in the presence of his Christians, he plunged into the water, as if performing the rite of baptism... But when, imitating those who were baptized for the sake of laughter, he pronounced the name of the Holy Trinity, he suddenly realized his comprehension of it the essence of what he had done... he suddenly felt like a Christian and, illuminated and wise from above, Porfiry began to expose the criminal error of the apostate king, for whose amusement he had undertaken a blasphemous performance... For his fearless confession of the comprehended truth, Porfiry was given over to torture, which he courageously endured for the sake of the Savior Christ who had received into his soul, and after the torment he was beheaded - in the year 362. St. much Theodota, Asklipiodota and Maximus At the beginning of the 4th century. lived in Mysia, in the city of Marcianopole (now Preslavl), known for the nobility of the family and the piety of Maxim and Asklipiodotus. When the ruler of Thrace Tiris went around the cities to persecute Christians, he ordered them to be presented and after a conversation about faith with Maxim, from which he was convinced of the firmness of the confession of the Christian Maxim, he ordered four people to beat him all over his body; then, after Asklipiodota confessed her faith in Christ, he ordered her to be beaten with the soles of her feet. With her patience she surprised some and aroused compassion in others. At this time, the pious Theodotus came forward and exposed the inhumanity of the tormentor, and for this he was hanged on a tree and planed on the body. Thirteen days later, Tiris, having gone with the martyrs to Adrianople, subjected all three to new wounds, then ordered red-hot copper plates to be applied to their bodies, so that their flesh melted, but they were consoled by a voice from heaven, encouraging them... When they spent several days in prison after that, Tiris ordered them to be handed over to the beasts in the midst of a popular spectacle; but the bear, released first on Maxim and then on Theodotus, caressed them, and the bull to which Askliopiodota was tied stopped, as if tied, and did not move from its place. These wonderful manifestations of divine power amazed the people and, it seemed, should have persuaded them to believe in Christ, meanwhile the crowd demanded the stoning of the martyrs... The ruler went with them on the way to Philippopolis and 30 miles before this city in the village of Saltis, after new convictions to renounce Christ, he ordered their heads to be cut off. A little later, he himself, sitting at the judgment seat, was struck by lightning... St. martyrs suffered under Galerius Maximian (305–311). 139 St. Joseph, Bishop Alaverdi Joseph, one of the 12 fathers of Syria (commemorated on May 7th), was one of the preachers of the Christian faith throughout the Kakheti valley and converted even the wild inhabitants of the Caucasus to Christ. He died in 570. His relics rest in the Alaverdi Cathedral. Socrates history 1, 3. Eusebius ist. 2, 8. 0 of the life of Constantine, ch. 1. Sozomena history. 1, 7. This is the news from Rabanus Maurus, where it is said on January 3: in Tomis civitate nativitas Titi episcopi, qui sub Licinio – caesus ad mortem carcere mancipatus, etc. Error in the name. Martyrology of Troubles under January 3: In Tomis natalis s. Philii, qui post alia tormenta in mare est mersus. In Jerome's Martyrology there is an incorrect reading: in Tomis Christianifili episcopi. Must read: christiani Filii episcopi. Unfortunately, this ancient martyrology has not yet been cleared of the mistakes of the scribes, who either combined two words into one, or took the names of cities for the names of martyrs. Still noticeable - in vain Leken (Or. chr. 11. 12, 14) and Genshenius point out the similarity of the sufferings of St. Philia with the suffering of the modern Theogenes, Bishop of Paria (Jan. 2), as something doubtful; on the contrary, this similarity reinforces the accuracy of the news, since each villain has his own manner of tormenting people. Martyrology of Jerome; about brothers and all others; Adon says that they suffered at Licinia According to the martyrologies of Adov and Usuard on June 6: civitate Noveduno (Nividuno, Niveduno) sanctorum Amantil et Alexandri; Lukiy was added to Notkera. In Jerome, June 6: Noveduno Amamtii, Lucii, Alexandri, Alexandriae, Donatae, Peregriae. In Basil’s menology (on September 13) it is said that Macronius and Gordian “were exiled to Scythia Minor” and here “they found Saints Zotikos, Lucian and Ilya courageously struggling for the confession of Christ.” Track. according to the menologist, the suffering of the three SEIFOV preceded the death of Gordian. From the martyrologies this can be seen with complete clarity. In the martyrologies of Adon and Usuard under June 4, civitate Noveduno sanctorum Zotici, Attali et Evtici. Notwer added: cum aliis multis. In Jerobi’s martyrology: “June 4 in the city. Novedune strad. the death of Zotik, Attalus, Eutychus, Amas, Karin, Yulin, Saturninus, Gaddun, Ninita and others 28.” – Rabana in Ninive natalis Dinoci (Zotici), Attali, Camari (Amasi), Fyrinae (Carini), Juliae et Saraciae (Saturnini). Qamar should be called up for the script. - Based on the prologue Zotik and Ilya - “Protisemeisk Grad”. There was no city with this name in Scythia Minor; the narrator’s thought was, of course, to only mean the nobility of the city, which was the spiritual homeland of the saints. For the cities of Malaya Skafia, see July 7 Ave. 92. According to the menologist, the young courtiers are “Makrovius and Gordian.” In the martyrologies “Sept. 17. Noviduno natalis sanctorum martyrum Valeriani, Macrini et Cordiani (Gordiani).” So martyrologies. Unfortunately, the deeds of the Danube II Tomsk martyrs have not reached you. The only reason Menologist speaks about the Scythians Zotik, Lucian and Ilya is that their sufferings are in some connection with the sufferings of the courtiers. Apparently, Western martyrologies were more favorable to the martyrs - the Scythians: they noted the martyrdom of many Scythian Christians, about whom not a word was said by the Greeks. Extract from "Full" months East." Archimander. Sergius, vol. II, part 2, p. 291.