Eastern Rite - Feasts of 7 March AM 7531

Today is the Feasts of the Holy Hieromartyrs and Bishops of Cherson Basil, Ephrem, Capiton, Eugene, Etherius and Others and the Commemoration of the Passing into Eternal Life (1935) of Blessed Leonid Fedorov, Exarch of the Russian Catholic Church, Persecuted under the Tsarists and Martyred by the Soviets for the Faith.

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The Hieromartyrs Basil, Ephraim, Eugene, Elpidius, Agathodorus, Aetherius, and Capiton carried the Gospel of Christ into the North Black Sea region from the Danube to the Dniper, including the Crimea. They were bishops of Cherson at different times during the fourth century, and they sealed their apostolic activity with martyrdom. Only Aetherius died in peace.

Long before the Baptism of Kyivan Rus' under Saint Volodymyr, the Christian Faith had already spread into Crimea, which in antiquity was called Tauridia and was ruled by the Roman Emperor. The beginning of the enlightenment of Tauridia is attributed to the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (November 30).

The Church’s enemies unwillingly contributed to the further spread of Christianity. The Roman emperors often banished traitors to this area. During the first three centuries, Christians were regarded as traitors because they would not follow the state religion. In the reign of Trajan (98-117), Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome (November 25), was sent to work in a stone quarry near Cherson. There he continued his preaching, and suffered martyrdom.

The pagans inhabiting the Crimea stubbornly resisted the spread of Christianity. But the faith of Christ, through its self-sacrificing preachers, grew strong and was affirmed. Many missionaries gave their lives in this struggle.

At the beginning of the fourth century, a bishop’s See was established at Cherson. This was a critical period when Cherson served as a base for the Roman armies which constantly passed through the area. During the reign of Diocletian (284-305), the Patriarch of Jerusalem sent many bishops to preach the Gospel in various lands. Two of them, Ephraim and Basil, arrived in Cherson and planted the Word of God there.

Later on, Saint Ephraim went to the peoples living along the Danube, where he underwent many tribulations and sorrows. He was beheaded at the start of the persecution. The preaching at Cherson was continued by Saint Basil, Saint Ephraim’s companion. He set many idol-worshippers on the path of truth. Other wayward inhabitants of the city, enraged at his activity, rose up against him. The saint was arrested, mercilessly beaten and expelled from the city.

He went to a mountain and settled in a cave, where he unceasingly prayed to God for those who had driven him out, asking that He might illumine them with the light of true knowledge. And the Lord provided the unbelievers with a miracle. The only son of an important citizen of Cherson died. The dead child appeared to his parents in a dream and said that a certain man named Basil could resurrect him from the dead by his prayers.

When the parents had found the saint and entreated him to work the miracle, Saint Basil replied that he himself was a sinful man and had not the power to raise the dead, but the Lord Almighty could fulfill their request if they were to believe in Him. For a long time the saint prayed, invoking the Name of the Holy Trinity. Then he blessed water, and sprinkled it on the dead one, who was restored to life. The saint returned to the city with honour, and many believed and were baptized.

Soon, by order of the emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311), the persecution against Christians spread with renewed force. The Christ-haters rose up also against Saint Basil. On March 7, 309 he was dragged from his house during the night. They tied him up, dragged him along the streets and beat him to death with stones and rods. The body of the saint was thrown out of the city to be eaten by dogs and birds, and for many days it was left unburied but remained untouched. Then Christians secretly buried the body of the holy martyr in a cave.

A year after the martyrdom of Saint Basil, three of his companions, Bishops Eugene, Elpidius and Agathodorus, ceased their preaching in the Hellespont and arrived at Cherson to continue his holy work. They endured many hardships for the salvation of human souls. All three bishops shared the fate of their predecessor: they were stoned to death by the pagans on March 7, 311.

When St Constantine the Great and Equal to the Apostles (May 21) took the throne, Bishop Aetherius was sent by emperor Constantine to Cherson from Jerusalem. At first, he also encountered hostility on the part of the pagans, but the holy emperor would not tolerate acts of violence against the preacher. He issued a decree permitting the Christians of Cherson to have church services without hindrance. Through the efforts of Saint Aetherius, a church was built in the city, where the saint peacefully governed his flock.

Saint Aetherius journeyed to Constantinople to thank the emperor for protecting the Christians. He fell ill and died on the return trip.

The holy emperor Constantine then sent Bishop Capiton to Cherson to replace Saint Aetherius. The Christians met him with joy, but the pagans demanded a sign from the new bishop, so they might believe in the God Whom he preached. Placing all his hope on the Lord, Saint Capiton put on his omophorion and went into a burning furnace. He prayed in the fire for about an hour and emerged from it unharmed. “Shall anyone bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?” Solomon asks (Prov. 6:27). Saint Capiton carried red-hot coals in his phelonion, yet neither his body nor his garments were scorched. Many of the unbelievers were then persuaded by the power of the Christian God.

This miracle and the great faith of Saint Capiton were reported to Saint Constantine and the holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (325), and they all glorified God.

After several years Saint Capiton journeyed to Constantinople on business, but the ship encountered a storm at the mouth of the Dniepr River. The local people (pagans) seized the ship and drowned all those on board, including Saint Capiton. Although this occurred on December 21, Saint Capiton is commemorated with the other hieromartyrs of Cherson on March 7.

Troparion — Tone 5

Since You have given us the miracles of Your Holy Hieromartyrs of Cherson as an invincible rampart, / foil the machinations of the ungodly, O Christ our God, / and strengthen the faith of the Orthodox Christians, / for You are good and love mankind.

Kontakion — Tone 2

The radiant day of the hierarchs and pastors in Cherson has dawned! / Let us sing hymns for the feast of those who suffered for the sheep of Christ! / Hieromartyrs, entreat Christ, the chief Shepherd, that He may number us with the sheep on His right hand, / so that we may cry aloud to you: / Rejoice, holy fathers, for you shed your blood for Christ!

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Bld Leonid was born into a Russian Orthodox family. His father died when Leonid was very young, and he was raised by his mother, Liubova Dimitrievna. He started his studies in the Orthodox seminary in 1901, but in 1902 he left, travelled to Rome, and converted to Catholicism.

He studied at Anagni and Rome, and in Freiburg, Germany. He assisted at the coronation of Pope Pius X on 9 August 1903. He received his Doctorate in philosophy in 1905 and a degree in theology in 1907. He was ordained Deacon on 22 March 1911, and Priest on 25 March 1911 in Bosnia. He became a monk at the Studite monastery in Bosnia, beginning his novitiate on 20 May 1912 and took the habit on 12 February 1913, taking the name Father Leontios.

He returned to Saint Petersburg and was immediately arrested for his faith, and sent to Siberia. Released in March 1917 during an amnesty for political and religious prisoners, he returned to Saint Petersburg and was appointed Exarch of the Russian Greek Catholic Church. The Communist takeover later that year began a period of persecution of the Faith and the faithful, with 1922 ushering in the era of violent suppression of Christianity. All churches were ordered closed on 5 December 1922. Father Leontios and fourteen priests were arrested for their Faith in January 1923, sent to Moscow for trial; sentenced to ten years exile to Solovky and Vladka.

Released in 1926, he relocated to Kaluga. Arrested again for spreading the Faith, he was sentenced to ten years in Solovetsky where a large monastery had been converted to a prison. There he continued to minister to the faithful, conducting covert Divine Liturgies, using wine made from raisins sent by the families of prisoners. Transferred to a forced labour camp at Pinega on 6 August 1929 where he was billeted with an imprisoned Orthodox priest; after work, Leontios conducted a catechism class for local boys. Transferred to Arkhangelsk, to Kotlas, and to Poltava. The poor conditions and steady overwork broke his health, and in 1932 he was certified as an invalid. He completed his sentence in 1933, but was barred from returning to many Russian cities, and had to live in exile the rest of his life. Beatified by John Paul II in Kyiv, 27 June 2001. One of the Martyrs Under Communism in Eastern Europe (27 June).