Eastern Rite - Feasts of 27 May AM 7530

Today is the Feast of the Holy Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis.

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The Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis suffered for Christ during the third century (the city of Sardis was in Lydia, Asia Minor). In fulfilling his priestly service, Saint Therapon enlightened many of the pagan Greeks with the light of the Christian Faith and baptized them. For this, he was brought to trial before the governor Julian and fearlessly declared himself a Christian bishop.

They threw him into prison, where he languished with hunger and thirst, and then they gave him over to cruel tortures. These torments did not break the saint’s valiant confession of faith. They led the saint off in chains to the city of Sinaion in Phrygia, and then to Ancyra.

In these cities, they tortured him again. They took him to the River Astala, where they stretched him naked upon the ground, fastened him to four stakes, and fiercely beat him. After this torture, they took the passion-bearer to the outskirts of the Satalia diocese, part of the Sardis metropolitanate, and here after long beatings, Saint Therapon ended his martyric contest.

The stakes to which the saint had been tied, soaked with his blood, put forth green shoots and grew into large trees, whose leaves were found to have curative powers. Many people received healing through them.

Troparion — Tone 4

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, you became a successor to their throne. / Through the practice of virtue, / you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; / by teaching the word of truth without error, / you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood. / Hieromartyr Therapon, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

(The Typikon does not prescribe a Kontakion.)