25
June
(08 July)
Virgin-Martyr
Febronia (+c.304)
Nobleborn Prince Peter, in monasticism named David,
and Princess Febronia, in monasticism named Evphrosynia,
Murom Wonderworkers (+1288)
Monastic Martyresses Leonida, Livia, and Eutropia
Women-Martyrs Euphrosynia and Theodora
Saints Constantine and Theodore
Monk Simon (V)
Monks Dionysios (+post 1380) and Dometios of Athos
MonkMartyr Prokopios of Smyrna (+1810)
The
Virgin-Martyr Febronia suffered during the reign of Diocletian
(284-305). She was raised at a monastery in the city of Sivapolis
(Assyria region). The head of the women's monastery was the hegumenia
Brienna, the aunt of Saint Febronia, and being concerned about the
salvation of Saint Febronia, she assigned her a stricter form of
life than the other nuns. According to their monastic ustav-rule,
on Fridays the sisters left aside their other duties and spent the
whole day at prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture, and usually
the hegumenia appointed the reading to Saint Febronia.
News
about her pious life spread throughout the city. The illustrious
young widow Hieria, a pagan, began to visit her, and under the influence
of her guidance and prayer she accepted holy Baptism, bringing then
to the Christian faith her parents and kinsfolk.
Diocletian
dispatched to Assyria for the destruction of Christians a detachment
of soldiers under the command of Lysimachus, Selenus and Primus.
Selenos, the uncle of Lysimachus, was noted for his fierce attitude
against Christians, but Lysimachus was of a different frame of mind
from him, since his mother had sought to inspire love for the Christian
faith in her son, and she had died a Christian. And Lysimachus had
discussed with his kinsman Primus how far possible it would be to
deliver Christians from the hands of the torturer. When the detachment
of soldiers approached the convent, its inhabitants hid. There remained
only the hegumenia Brienna, her helper Thomaida and Saint Febronia,
who at the time was seriously ill. It sorrowed the hegumenia terribly,
that her niece would fall into the hands of the torturers, possibly
to defile her, and she prayed fervently that the Lord would preserve
her and strengthen her in the confession of Christ the Saviour.
Selenus gave orders to bring him all the nuns of the convent. Primus
with the detachment of soldiers found no one, except the two old
women and Saint Febronia. He regretted that they had not hidden,
and he suggested to the nuns to be gone. But the nuns decided not
to quit the place of their labors and they entrusted themselves
to the will of the Lord.
Primus
told Lysimachus about the particular beauty of Saint Febronia and
advised him to take her for himself in marriage. Lysimachus answered
that he did not wish to seduce a virgin dedicated to God, and he
asked Primus to hide the other nuns somewhere so that they would
not fall into the hands of Selenus. One of the soldiers overheard
the conversation and told Selenus. They led Saint Febronia off to
the military commander with her hands bound and a chain on her neck.
Selenus urged her to recant from the faith in Christ and he promised
her honours, rewards, and marriage with Lysimachus. The holy virgin
firmly and fearlessly answered, that she had the Immortal Bridegroom
and she would not exchange Him for some worldly blessing. Selenus
subjected her to fierce torture. The saint prayed: "My Saviour,
do not abandon me in this terrible hour!" They beat the martyress
for a long time, and blood from her handcuffs flowed from the wounds.
In order to intensify the suffering of Saint Febronia, they tied
her to a tree and set a fire under it. The tortures were so inhuman,
that the people began to shout, urging a stop to the torture since
there was no confession of guilt by the girl. But Selenus continued
to mock and jeer at the martyress. Saint Febronia became silent.
Because of weakness she was unable to utter a word. In a rage Selenus
gave orders to tear out her tongue, smash her teeth, and finally,
to cut off both hands and legs. The people were unable to bear such
an horrid spectacle and they left the scene of the torture, cursing
Diocletian and his gods.
Among
the crowd was the Nun Thomaida, who afterwards recorded in detail
the martyr's act of Saint Febronia, and also her student Hieria.
She came forth out of the crowd and in the hearing of all reproached
Selenus for his boundless cruelty. He gave orders to arrest her,
but learning that Hieria was of illustrious standing whom he could
not readily subject to torture, he stopped her, saying: "By thy
speech thou hast brought on Febronia yet greater torment." Finally,
they beheaded the holy Martyress Febronia.
Departing
the place of execution, Lysimachus wept and withdrew to his quarters.
Selenus made ready to eat, but he was not able to take food, and
went off to the quiet of his own chambers. Suddenly, looking upwards,
all at once he lost his speech, bellowed like an ox, fell down,
and having struck a marble column, he cracked his head and there
he died. When Lysimachus learned of this, he said: "O Great God
of the Christians, Who art worthy of respect, in that innocent blood
hath been revenged!" He prepared a coffin, placed in it the mutilated
body of the martyress and took it to the convent. Hegumenia Brienna
fell senseless, seeing the mutilated remains of Saint Febronia.
By evening time she returned to her senses and gave orders to open
the convent gates, so that all would be able to come and venerate
the holy martyress and glorify God -- having given her such endurance
in suffering for Christ the Saviour. Lysimachus and Primus thereupon
renounced their idol-worship and accepted both Baptism and monasticism.
Hieria gave her wealth to the convent and petitioned hegumenia Brienna
to accept her at the convent in place of Saint Febronia.
Every
year, on the day of the martyress death of Saint Febronia there
was celebrated at the convent a solemn feast. During the time of
the all-night vigil the monastic sisters always saw Saint Febronia,
who occupied her usual place in church. From the relics of Saint
Febronia occurred numerous miracles and healings. The Life of
Saint Febronia was recorded by the Nun Thomaida, an eye-witness
to her deeds.
In
the year 363 the relics of Saint Febronia were transferred to Constantinople.
Soon
after the death of Saint Febronia, Saint James the Bishop of Niziba
(commemorated 13 January) built a church and transferred
into it part of the relics of the holy martyress.
Holy
Prince Peter, in monasticism David, and Holy Princess
Febronia, in monasticsm Evphrosynia, Murom Wonderworkers: Holy
Prince Peter was the second son of the Murom prince Yurii Vladimirovich.
He entered upon the throne of Murom in the year 1203. Several years
before this Saint Peter had fallen ill with leprosy, from which
no one was able to heal him. In a dream vision it was revealed to
the prince, that the daughter of a bee-keeper would be able to heal
him -- the pious maiden Febronia, a peasant of Laskova village in
Ryazan gubernia. Saint Peter sent his emissaries to this village.
When
the prince saw Saint Febronia, he so fell in love with her for her
piety, wisdom and virtue, that he made a vow to marry her after
being healed. Saint Febronia healed the prince and became his wife.
The holy couple loved each other through all their ordeals. The
haughty boyars did not wish to have a princess of commoner's origin
and they urged that the prince leave her. But Saint Peter refused,
and so they banished the couple. They sailed off on a boat from
their native city along the River Oka. Saint Febronia continued
to console Saint Peter. But soon the wrath of God fell upon the
city of Murom, and the people urged that the prince return together
with Saint Febronia.
The
holy couple was famous for their piety and charity. They died on
the same day and hour -- 25 June 1228 -- having before this taken
monastic tonsure with the names David and Evphrosynia. The bodies
of the saints were put in the same grave.
Saints
Peter and Febronia showed themselves exemplary models of Christian
marriage.
By
their prayers they bring down Heavenly blessing upon those entering
into marriage.
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