Память святых Апостолов Иасона и Сосипатра и святой мученицы Керкиры девы

The Holy Apostle Jason came from the city of Tarsus 2817, was the first Christian in this city, and the Holy Apostle Sosipater was from Achaia 2818. Having joined the holy faith of Christ, they both became disciples of the holy Apostle Paul, who in his letter to the Romans even calls them relatives (Rom. 16:21). Jason was installed as bishop in his hometown of Tarsus, and Sosipater assumed leadership of the Iconian church; both valiantly shepherded and increased their flock. Going west, they reached the island of Kerkyra 2819 and built a beautiful church there in the name of the Holy Protomartyr Stephen, performed divine services in it and added many to the faith of Christ. Slandered before Kerkilin, the king of the island, they were imprisoned, where seven robbers were imprisoned: Satornius, Iakischol, Faustian, Iannuarius, Marsalius, Euphrasius and Mammius. The Holy Apostles attracted them with their divinely inspired conversations to the holy faith and made sheep out of wolves. Then the king ordered to boil resin, sulfur and wax in a cauldron and throw these seven newly enlightened prisoners into it. So they died as martyrs and received crowns from the Lord. The prison guard also believed in Christ. For this they cut off first his left hand, then both legs, and finally, when he did not stop calling on the name of Christ, his head. And he was numbered among the holy martyrs. And the king brought the holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater out of prison and handed them over to Prince Cyprian for torture. He tied them up tightly and sent them back to prison. Seeing from her chambers such suffering of the holy martyrs and learning that they were suffering for Christ, the king’s daughter, named Kerkyra, declared herself a Christian, took off her precious clothes and jewelry and distributed them to the poor. Having learned about this, her father was filled with deep sadness and made every effort to turn her away from the faith of Christ. When everything turned out to be unsuccessful, the king, in great rage, locked her in a separate prison and ordered her to be given over to one fornicator, Murin, for corruption. When Murin approached the prison doors, a bear suddenly came running, grabbed him and began to torment him. Hearing the noise and seeing through the window what was happening, the royal daughter, who was sitting in prison, drove away the beast in the name of Christ, healed Murin’s wounds and, having discovered the truths of the holy faith, made him a Christian. - Great is the Christian God! - Murin exclaimed loudly and for this, having suffered terrible torment, he died in the midst of suffering and appeared before the Lord in the host of martyrs. Then the king ordered the soldiers to line the prison with wood and light it, so that his daughter would burn along with the prison. They did as ordered, and the dungeon burned down. But the girl turned out to be alive and unharmed: the fire did not touch her. Seeing such a miracle, many of the people believed in Christ. Finally, the saint was hanged by her tormentors on a tree, suffocated by acrid smoke, shot with arrows and gave up her spirit to God. After her death, the king began to persecute those who believed in Christ. Those, fearing torture, fled to a neighboring island and took refuge there. Having learned about this, the king himself swam to that island, intending to punish them with terrible torment. But when he was on the open sea, he, pursued by the wrath of God, drowned in the depths of the sea, like Pharaoh once did. The Christians, having got rid of this tormentor, offered hymns of thanksgiving to the Lord. The Holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater, released from prison, taught the people the word of God without restraint. When another king ascended the throne and learned about the holy Apostles, he seized them and ordered them to boil resin, sulfur and wax in an iron cauldron and throw the saints there. But the Apostles, by the grace of Christ, stood in that cauldron unscorched, and many of the infidels standing around were burned by fire. Others, seeing such a miracle, believed in Christ. The king himself believed and, placing a stone on his neck, exclaimed with sobs: - God of Jason and Sosipater, have mercy on me! Then the holy Apostles, having gathered all those who believed, taught them the word of God and, having instructed the king, baptized him in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and gave him the name Sebastian. A few days later the king's son fell ill and died. Then the holy Apostles, having prayed to God, raised him from the dead. They performed many other miracles and built magnificent churches together with the king. Having accomplished their holy feat and multiplied the flock of Christ, the Apostles died in their advanced years and joyfully departed to Christ God. Appear like bright stars, illuminating the entire universe with the light of preaching, Divine Apostles Jason and Sosipater, save by faith those who honor you. A city in Asia Minor, as well as Iconium. It lies in Greece, in the northern part of the Peloponnese. Island on the Ionian Sea, near Greece. You might be interested in: