The first Christians had to make countless sacrifices before they were no longer persecuted for their faith, and their religion was officially recognized in the Roman Empire. This happened in 313 by decree of Emperor Constantine the Great. Emperor Diocletian, who ruled before him, adhered to the pagan faith and was an ardent persecutor of all who professed Christianity.
Memorial Day: December 26
Many passion-bearers suffered torment for their faith during his reign and were subsequently canonized. One of them was the martyr Eugene of Sebaste, whose icon recalls his great feat of faith.
Persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian
In 302, Diocletian issued a decree to tighten the fight against Christianity. He ordered city rulers to destroy Christian churches, and to bring those who did not deviate from their faith to justice.
However, this law, barbaric in its cruelty, could not stop the zealots of the true faith. Having lost their temples, they did not stop gathering together to pray and hold divine services, only now all this happened in secret, and caves, remote groves and other places far from human eyes served as a refuge for them.
Seeing that his efforts to eradicate Christianity were not bearing fruit, Diocletian issued the following decree: now, if a Christian refused pagan sacrifices and did not renounce his faith, he was subject to the most cruel execution.
The feat of St. Evgeniy Sevastiysky
The Christian Eugenius, who lived in the city of Satalion, had a close friend, also a Christian, named Eustratius, who commanded the city army. Because of their participation in Christian worship, they constantly exposed their lives to danger, but this did not deter their friends, although the imperial governor in this area, Lysias, was a fanatical persecutor of Christians.
Soon after the imperial decree, the arrested presbyter of the Armenian Church, Auxentius, was brought to their city to force him to renounce the Lord or bring him to trial, the outcome of which there was no doubt.
There were other Christians in prison with Auxentius, and he tirelessly prayed to the Lord to grant fortitude and courage to all who were doomed to martyrdom for the glory of the name of the Lord. Having learned that Auxentius was brought to trial and thrown into prison, Eugene and Eustratius hastened to him with a request that he remember their names in prayers. They already had a presentiment of their fate and were ready to fearlessly accept all the torments, but not retreat. Thanks to the prayers of the righteous Auxentius, the Holy Spirit descended on them and strengthened their strength.
The next day, Lysias arranged a trial of the presbyter Auxentius and other Christians who were thrown into prison. He wanted to turn this trial into a show trial to intimidate the followers of the true faith, and therefore all the eminent townspeople and commanders of the army were present at it, the main one of whom was Eustratius.
According to Lysias, all speakers were supposed to condemn and curse Christians, but his expectations were not met. Evstratiy, by virtue of his position, had to speak first. He caused a general shock when he not only did not condemn the unfortunate people suffering for the Christian faith, but also presented convincing arguments in its defense.
It was a brilliant speech, and at the end of it Eustratius was not afraid to declare his commitment to Christ’s teaching. Eustratius deliberately went to martyrdom, for immediately, on the orders of the enraged Lysias, he was condemned to execution.
All this made a stunning impression on those present, but before they had time to recover from the horror, Eugene, faithful to his friend and surrendering himself to God’s will, also made a passionate speech about the truth of the Christian faith and, like Evstratius, declared himself its adherent.
Both friends were immediately shackled and thrown into the same prison where they had come the day before to the righteous presbyter Auxentius.
The next morning, all the condemned Christians were taken to the city of Nikopol, where public executions were carried out in the presence of a large number of people. On the way they passed through the city of Aravrakin, where both friends were from and where they were well known and respected.
The overseers mercilessly beat Eugene, Eustratius and other passion-bearers with whips. Many in the crowd recognized them, but were afraid to encourage them even with a word for fear of their unrighteous leaders. And only Mardarius, who also professed the Christian faith, showed courage and courage. He entrusted the care of his family to reliable neighbors, also secret Christians, said goodbye to his relatives and voluntarily joined the procession of brothers in faith led to execution.
There, in Nikopol, they were brutally tortured and then executed. Eugene’s tongue was first torn out, then his arms and legs were cut off, and only after that his head was cut off with a sword.
Later, when Christianity finally triumphed, they were all canonized and are now venerated on December 26, and the icon “St. Evgeniy" is found in many Orthodox churches.
In 1995, a temple in his honor was consecrated in Novosibirsk; The icon of St. Eugene reminds of his feat; it gave the name to the monastery at the Novosibirsk Cathedral of the Archangel Michael.
Venerable Martyr Eugenia of Rome
There are people we only learn about after their death. They live next to us, and their feat is invisible and unknown. And we will be honored to find out about someone only at the Last Judgment of the Lord, when everything secret will become clear. Not only the bad, which for some reason most often comes to mind in such reflections, but also the good. And there are people who are born to be famous. They are always in sight, they are talked about, they are recognized, they are written about, their opinions are listened to. Of course, not everyone is burdened by fame; no one will refuse such an attitude towards themselves, if only for some time. Not for long. Not forever…
Saint Eugenia was born in the house of a noble Roman. He was made the emperor's viceroy in Egypt, at that time a rich province of Rome. The daughter of the viceroy of the emperor, the most glorious man throughout Egypt, received the best education that the Egyptian priests and Alexandrian philosophers were able to give. She was fluent in Latin and Greek and had an amazing memory. The future promised her to become one of the most famous women of her time. Evgenia read a lot and studied philosophy.
Somehow she came across the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul, from which she learned that there was Something, next to which everything she owned was considered garbage. “I consider everything as rubbish, just to have Christ” - these words turned Evgenia’s whole life upside down. Unable to meet with Christians in Alexandria itself, she went outside the city to her nearest estate. On the way, an escape plan matured, and she, with two slaves, Protus and Iakinthos, who turned out to be secret Christians, came to the monastery in men's clothing. Bishop Ily Eliopolsky received a revelation in a dream that Eugene was a woman, but had a courageous soul and should become a monk in the monastery he created.
Another life has begun. Poverty, obscurity, endless labors, prayers and silence, humility and the rudeness of the environment. It was three times more difficult for her. She had just turned to Christ, before that she was taught differently, different customs, rules, behavior, philosophy. Here I had to grab it on the fly, willy-nilly, and even pretend that she was a man.
Four years later, the abbot of that monastery went to God. And in all the brotherhood there was no more humble, more obedient, more authoritative monk than the silent Eugene.
What to do? She fled from glory to glorify Christ in obscurity, but glory found her in poverty. Say she's a woman and leave the fraternity? But where will she find such a school of true wisdom? Having opened the Gospel, Evgenia read: “Whoever wants to be the eldest among you, let him be like a slave to everyone.” Truly, this is the path indicated by God to all leaders and leaders.
The girl headed the monastery. She increased her work, prayers, and was an example for everyone. No one suspected that she was not a man. The feat changed her beyond recognition. And then God gave her the gift of healings. Like a slave, Evgenia hurried to everyone who called her for help. She taught, led, prayed and healed. One rich woman, named Melania, received healing from Eugenia and often invited her to her place to listen to the saint’s teachings and donated a lot to the monastery. The devil set Melania up with unclean thoughts and she, not knowing that in front of her was a girl, began to tempt Eugenia into sin, but having received a harsh and fair rebuff, she decided to take revenge and reported to Eugenia’s father against a certain Christian abbot who wanted to take possession of her in her house by force.
It must be said that after the strange and inexplicable disappearance of his daughter, the governor of Egypt even turned to the Egyptian priests, who, having decided that Eugenia might no longer be alive, announced publicly that the gods loved Eugenia for her beauty and wisdom and took her to themselves . Therefore, the search was stopped, and another statue appeared in the square of the capital of Egypt, depicting Eugenia, in front of which her father prayed and made sacrifices, like a goddess. Eugenia's mother, Claudia, did not believe these stories and continued to mourn her daughter, whom the Egyptians now praised as a goddess.
Evgenia and her brethren were dishonorably taken to the city prison until trial. And the Name of Christ was blasphemed among the pagans, repeating and passing on this slander to each other.
At the trial, Evgenia saw her father and the ruler, her two brothers were sitting next to her. At first she tried to defend herself in the usual way, but false witnesses were presented. Then, defending not her own honor, but the honor of the Christian community, Evgenia revealed to everyone who she was, why she was here, and thus revealed her secret and the whole truth about the slander brought against her.
She was recognized by her father and brothers. Overwhelmed with joy, after the first signs of family love, they dressed her up like a princess and took her to the palace with royal honors. Evgenia did not immediately manage to free herself from this fame; those around her did not understand the inconsistency with the secular world, her path and the path following Christ, but nevertheless, soon not only her relatives, but all of Alexandria glorified Christians, marveling at them, and Christians glorified God, who gave Eugene such a noble, courageous heart.
The third great period began in the life of Saint Eugenia, which led her to the crown of martyrdom. After the entire family converted to Christianity, her father was removed in rank. The Christians made him their bishop. The new governor did not dare to execute Bishop Philip, but secretly sent assassins to kill him. While praying, he was wounded and died three days later.
Eugenia, together with her mother Claudia, set up a hospice outside the city and there with their own hands they did a lot of good to the sick and traveling beggars. Soon Emperor Gallienus again began persecuting Christians. Many then found refuge with Claudia and Eugenia.
Among the converts was one young Roman woman of the royal family - Vasilla. Having accepted Baptism, she refused marriage to her fiancé Pompey. Pompey complained to the emperor. In response, the emperor summoned Vasilla to trial, where she was stabbed to death with a sword for disobedience to Roman authority and refusal to renounce Christ.
Evgenia was summoned to Rome for trial. Forcing her to make a sacrifice to the gods, the saint was brought to the temple of the goddess Diana, but the temple collapsed along with the idols. They wanted to drown her in the Tiber, but the stone fell from her neck, and she herself walked on the water. She remained just as unharmed and invincible in the fire. Not knowing what to do with her, her tormentors threw her into a ditch and starved her for ten days. There the Savior appeared to her and announced that she would enter the Kingdom of Heaven on His Birthday.
On the eve of the great holiday in 262, the sent executioner killed the holy martyr Eugenia with a sword. Her memory is celebrated by the Church on the day of her death - January 6
, together with his father, the holy martyr Philip and his mother, the martyr Claudia, and the martyrs Protus and Iokinthos.
A particle of the relics of the Holy Martyr Eugenia is kept in the Assumption Church of our monastery.
Holy Martyr Eugenia, pray to God for us!
The relics of the Venerable Martyr Eugenia are located:
- in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome.
Particles of the relics of the martyr Eugenia are available:
– in the Assumption Church of the Nikolo-Solbinsk monastery;
– in the monastery of the Great Martyr Barbara (island of Cyprus);
– in the monasteries of the Life-Giving Spring on the island of Andros and the Holy Trinity in Koropi (Greece).
Prayer to the Venerable Martyr Eugenia
Praise the virgins and glory to the martyrs, Venerable Eugene!
We fall to you with tender hearts and ask the Lord for your intercession! For you, most glorious martyr, have gained great boldness towards the Master of all, for you have glorified Him in your pure soul and body through your suffering, before, having despised all the seductions of the enemy and the rebuke of the tormentor, you have endured everything and cried out: “Christ is my wealth and praise! » Moreover, from that wealth and our poverty, grant us spiritual gifts and protect us from immeasurable sins through your intercession, instruct us in obedience and brotherly love to each other, and always lift up the eyes of our hearts to the Lord, so that we may always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and the power your warm intercession forever and ever. Amen. Share with your friends:
