My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
On the 15th of December, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates
the holy Hieromartyr ELEFTHERIOS, Bishop ofIllyricum.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Plagal of First Tone
Being comely adorned in thy sacred priestly robes and newly
drenched with the streams of thy pure sanctified blood, thou
didst soar aloft to stand before thy Master, Christ; hence never
cease to intercede for those honoring with faith thy mighty
and blessed contest, thou overthrower of Satan, O wise and
blessed Eleftherios.
Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone
We all extol thee as an adornment of priests, O righteous one, and
an encourager of trophy-bearers, O Hieromartyr Eleftherios; and
we beseech thee: Free from all manner of peril them that celebrate
thy memorial with love, and intercede unceasingly in behalf of us
all.
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This Saint had Rome as his homeland. Having been orphaned of his father from childhood, he was taken by his mother Anthia to Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome (some call him Anencletos, or Anacletos), by whom he was instructed in the sacred letters (that is, the Divine Scripture). Though still very young in years, he was made Bishop of Illyricum by reason of his surpassing virtue, and by his teachings he converted many unbelievers to Christ. However, during a most harsh persecution that was raised against the Christian under Hadrian (reigned 117-118 A.D.), the Saint was arrested by the tyrants. Enduring many tortures for Christ, he was finally put to death by two soldiers about the year 126 A.D. As for his Christ-loving mother Anthia, while embracing the remains of her beloved son and kissing them with maternal affection, she was also beheaded.
A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT ON THE HIEROMARTYR ELEFTHERIOS (ELEUTHERIUS)
The Saint’s mother Anthia had been taught the Faith with exactness by the disciples of the holy Apostle Paul. When she gave birth to her son, she named him Eleftherios, (Gk. meaning freedom or liberty) and she nurtured him in godliness. The Saint’s father, a man of property and consequence, held the office of Consul of Rome, which was one of the highest positions among the nobility.
When he became 15 years old, he was ordained to the Diaconate by the Bishop of Rome, Aniketos. Afterward, he was elevated to the Priesthood at 17 years of age, and then to the Episcopacy at 20. He therefore was appointed Bishop of Illyricum. The holy Bishop entered upon his duties with all diligence. Saint Eleftherios’ service was inestimable. He was responsible for bringing many pagan Greeks to the Faith and holy Baptism, because his sweet disposition and the wisdom of his words encouraged those who heard him to come to the truth.
The weak devil, who always wishes to deprive man of salvation, gnashed his teeth at the young bishop, since he was powerless to put Eleftherios to death. Thus the hater of man entered into the ungodly Emperor and instigated a General Persecution against the Christians. That cruel and unseemly pagan Emperor singled out Eleftherios for destruction, placing him first on his list, since he received intelligence that the Bishop of Illyricum was the cause of many conversions from paganism. The Emperor sent forth his general, named Felix, urgently commending him to apprehend Eleftherios.
Felix went to carry out his commission. He went with a company of soldiers and surrounded the church, where the Saint was teaching the flock at the very moment. Felix entered that sacred place with an evil disposition, a fierce look, and no civility. Even as Felix entered, he was immediately struck by the holy bishop’s decorum and grace-filled countenance. Behold, the wonder! Saint Eleftherios sweet manner of address and his edifying words, filled with all wisdom, were sufficient to transform Felix and put a halt to the intended violence. The former, ravenous wolf became a gentle lamb. Instead of defiant persecutor, he became the Saint’s obedient pupil. He disowned his ancestral impiety and assented to the teaching of the holy Gospel. Felix then disdained temporal honors and expelled ambition from his soul. He renounced wealth and kin. He attached no consequence to how he would answer the Emperor. He quit that sphere of power and privilege. This ever-memorable Felix at the feet of the bishop in repentance and believed in the Christ.
The Saint catechized and exhorted Felix in the exact Faith. Afterward, he counseled him that they together return to the Emperor. The bishop did not wish to suffer the loss of the crown of martyrdom, for he desired to behold the beauty of Jesus. They, therefore, traveled on the road together. As they came to a spring, the reverent Felix–even as another officer of Candace the queen and disciple of the Apostle Philip — requested Baptism, saying, “Behold, holy bishop, water. What hinders me from being baptized? I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ.” The bishop beheld Felix’s ardor and great readiness to receive the Mystery OF ILLUMINATION, and so be baptized him. After some days, they arrived in Rome. Eleftherios was summoned to the Emperor’s Tribunal. He went rejoicing, as though he were invited to celebrate a festival or take a most delightful holiday. The Emperor observed the holy bishop carefully. He was a young man with handsome features, possessed of a nobility and beauty of spirit and dignity of form wonderfully fused. He addressed the bishop: “Why, Eleftherios, hast thou abandoned the faith of thy fathers and reverence of the gods, only to believe in one Man Who suffered an evil death?” The Saint kept silent when he heard such words wanting in understanding. Thus, he gave on answer at all and waited upon the Lord Who said, “Do not become anxious about how or what ye should speak. Settle it for yourselves in your hearts not to premeditate to make a defense; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all those who oppose you shall not be able to contradict nor withstand” [Matthew 10:19; Luke 21:14-15].
The tyrant spoke many words to the Saint, flattering ones, with also the promise of rich gifts and privileges, if he were to consent and sacrifice to the idols. Conversely, upon the bishop’s refusal of these offers, he was threatened with diverse tortures. Eleftherios spoke at liberty and with much freedom of speech in his reply: “How shall I condescend to pay homage to such insensible deities and inanimate statues? With regard to you who observe such beliefs, indeed I am unhappy for your sake, and I even weep. My sentiments are such for this reason. Though God honored thee with reason, yet you have become more mindless than the wood and stones, which you deem to be gods, by forsaking the Only True God Who fashioned us and created the cosmos (world), and by venerating the demons. I, however, worship my Master Christ. It is He Whom I revere and confess as True God. With respect to the honors and gifts which thou art promising me, as well as the dread and terrible punishments with which thou art threatening me, I deem them games and the wounds given by infants. I have renounced the world and have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ liveth in me” [Galatians 2:20], for Whom I die daily [I Corinthians 15:31]. When we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized INTO HIS DEATH” [Romans 6:3]. Hearing such words, the tyrant became enraged and ordered the brass bed be heated to a red-hot temperature. The bishop was then to be stretched out on that fiery bed, while below a heap of coals was to be kept burning until Eleftherios should be utterly broiled.
When the Saint was cast upon that bed of fire, the people of the city were grieved. A countless number of people from the city had gathered. Many of them rebuked the Emperor for his savagery. In the meantime, the Almighty God from on High lightened the pain and suffering of the Martyr. For the Saint was bedewed and cooled, as though he were stretched out on soft and besprinkled grass. As he spent considerable time on that brazen bed, spread out full-length and naked, the tyrant’s rage subsided somewhat. He commanded his executioners to remove Eleftherios from that red-hot grate; for the tyrant thought that the prisoner had died. But then Eleftherios jumped up and stood straight, showing he had suffered no burns or injury. Indeed, no trace of a single wound appeared on his flesh. A gladsome Eleftherios was then chanting the words of the psalm, which began: “I will exalt Thee, O my God, my King, and I will bless Thy name unto the age, and unto the age of the age” [Psalm 144:1].
The boldness of the Martyr was interpreted as an insult by the Emperor to his person. He, thereupon, found a new and worse punishment with which to torture the Saint. He gave the order that they bind the Saint upon an iron grill, aglow from the fire of coals below. From above they were pouring oil, so as to provide the flames to rise higher. The grace of God attended Eleftherios in this gruesome episode also. Straightway, as the stretched forth Eleftherios upon the gridiron, the flame was extinguished , the iron grate cooled, and the Saint reclined, bedewed by Divine grace. The horrific tortures continued by the tyrant. After a painful succession of failures on his part, he acknowledged that there was nothing further he could do but ordered the bishop’s beheading. This indeed took place, and with his blood he dyed his priestly raiment. Having set up glorious trophies over the enemies, the glorious Eleftherios delivered his blessed soul into the hands of God on the 15th of December.
The Saint’s mother, Anthia, embraced the holy relics of her son and Martyr, kissing them ardently and magnifying that he suffered so much for the Lord’s sake. Then the executioners, as ones savage and cruel, without the least shred of compassion, put to death the mother by striking off her head. Pious Christians from Avolona of Epirus, the Seat of Bishop Eletherios’ Diocese, were then present in Rome. They took up the holy relics of their bishop and his mother, anointed them with myrrh, and exhibited fitting honor as lovers of God, and reverently interred them. The Saint’s shrines poured forth cures and miracles for those in need, to the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the One and Only True God, unto the ages. We, too, beg his supplications to God that we might be freed from the passions. Amen. [Source: The Great Sysnaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]
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“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 