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June 22nd (VII - 5)

Icon of the saint of the day.

Icon of the Hieromartyr Eusebios and the Martyrs Zinon and Zina

PriestMartyr Eusebios, Bishop of Samosata (+ 380). Martyrs: Zinon and Zina (+ 304); Galaction, Juliania and her son Saturninus; Pompian. Monk Basil, Hegumen of Patalaria.

The Priestmartyr Eusebios, Bishop of Samosata, stood firmly for the Orthodox confession of faith confirmed at the Ist OEcumenical Council at Nicea in the year 325. For this he underwent persecution by the Arians, being repeatedly deprived of his cathedra and banished into exile. The emperor Constantius (337-361), patron of the Arians, having learned that Saint Eusebios kept a conciliar decree about the election to the Antioch cathedra of the Orthodox Archbishop Meletios, sent him a command to give up the decree. The saint boldly refused to do as ordered. The enraged emperor sent a message, that if he did not give up the decree, then his right hand would be cut off. Saint Eusebios stretched out both hands to the emissary with the words: "Cut them off, but the Decree of the Council, which doth denounce the wickedness and iniquity of the Arians, I will not give up". The emperor Constantius marveled at the audacity of the bishop, but did him no harm.

After Constantius, there reigned Justin the Apostate (361-363). Even more difficult times ensued -- there began an open persecution against Christians. Sainted Eusebios, having concealed his dignity, went about in the garb of a soldier across the whole of Syria, Phoenicia and Palestine, urging Christians to the Orthodox faith. He established priests and deacons in desolated churches, he put hands upon bishops renouncing the Arian heresy. After Julian the Apostate perished, there ruled the pious emperor Jovian (363-364), during which time the persecutions stopped. Having returned from exile, Archbishop Meletios upon the advice of Saint Eusebios convened a Local Council at Antioch in the year 379. In it participated 27 bishops, and it re-affirmed the Orthodox teaching of faith accepted at the Ist OEcumenical Council. The Arians, fearing the steadfast defenders of Orthodoxy -- Sainted-hierarchs Meletios, Eusebios and Pelagios, who had great influence with the emperor, put their signatures under the conciliar definition. After the death of the emperor Jovian began the rule of the Arian Vanlentus (364-378). The Orthodox were again subjected to persecution. Saint Meletios was banished to Armenia, Saint Pelagios -- to Arabia, and Saint Eusebios was condemned to exile in Thrace. Having received the imperial decree, Saint Eusebios left Samosata by night so as to prevent tumult among the people that esteemed him. Having learned about the departure of the bishop, believers followed after him and with tears entreated him to return. The saint refused to fulfill the entreaty of those who had come, saying that it was necessary to obey the existing authorities. The saint urged his flock to hold firm to Orthodoxy, blessed them and set off to the place of exile. The Arian Eunomios was put upon the Samosata cathedra, but the people did not accept the heretic. The Orthodox would not go to the church and avoided meeting with him. The heretic Arian perceived, that it was impossible to entice the independent flock to him.

The emperor Gracian (375-383) came upon the throne, and there were brought back from exile all the Orthodox hierarchs banished under the Arians. Saint Eusebios also returned to Samosata and continued with the task of building up the church. Together with Saint Meletios he supplied Orthodox hierarchs and clergy to Arian places. In about the year 380, he arrived in the Arian city of Dolikhina to establish there the Orthodox bishop Marinos. An Arian woman flung a roof tile which struck the head of the sainted-bishop. In dying, he on the example of the Saviour asked her for wine and requested those around not to do her any harm. The body of Sainted Eusebios was taken to Samosata and with lamantation he was buried by his flock. In place of the saint was raised up his nephew, Blessed Antiokhos, and the Samosata Church continued to steadfastly confess the Orthodox faith, firmly spread through the efforts of the holy Priestmartyr Eusebios.

The Holy Martyrs Zinon and Zina lived in the city of Philadelphia (Arabia). They led a pious life. Saint Zinon possessed a large fortune, but he distributed his substance to the poor and manumitted slaves to freedom. Together with his devoted servant Zina, he went to the governor and denounced him for idol-worship. They hung them from pillars, struck at them with iron hooks, rubbed their wounds with vinegar and salt, scorched their sides and chests with fire, threw them in a pit with fire and poured boiling oil over the sufferers. The saints endured all the tortures with forbearance and by the power of God they remained alive. Finally, the martyrs were beheaded with a sword (+ 304).

The Holy Martyrs Galaction, Juliania and Saturninus: Saint Galaction was drowned in the sea for confessing faith in Christ, and Saint Juliania together with her son Saturninus was burnt.

© 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.

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