Eastern Rite - Feasts of 18 July AM 7532

Today is the Feasts of the Holy Martyr Hyacinth of Amastris and of the Holy Martyr Emilian.

✠✠✠✠✠

The Holy Martyr Hyacinth was born into a pious Christian family in the city of Amastridea (now Amastris in Anatolia). An angel which appeared gave him his name. As a three-year-old boy, Saint Hyacinth asked God that a dead infant might be resurrected. The Lord hearkened to his childish prayer, and the dead one arose. Both lads afterwards grew up together, and they lived an ascetic life.

Saint Hyacinth once noticed how the pagans were worshipping a tree, and so he chopped it down. For this, they subjected him to harsh tortures. They smashed out all his teeth, and having bound him with rope, they dragged him along the ground and threw him in prison. It was there that the holy sufferer departed to the Lord.

Troparion — Tone 3

Your holy martyr Hyacinth, O Lord, / through his sufferings has received an incorruptible crown from You, our God. / For having Your strength, he laid low his adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through his intercessions, save our souls!

Kontakion — Tone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”)
You appeared as a bright star announcing Christ with your radiance, / which is repulsive to this world, O Martyr Hyacinth; / extinguishing the allure of false gods, / you enlighten the faithful, / always interceding for us all.

✠✠✠✠✠

The Holy Martyr Emilian, who was a Slav, suffered for Christ during the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). Julian wanted to restore the cult of the pagan gods throughout the Roman Empire, and he issued an edict, according to which all Christians who failed to honor the pagan gods would be subject to death.

Saint Emilian lived in the Thracian city of Dorostolum on the banks of the River Dunaj (Danube).The imperial edict was read in the city square, but the people of Dorostolum declared that there were no Christians in the city.

Saint Emilian was a slave of a cruel and fanatical idolater, and was a secret Christian. Some sources state that he was the son of a local officer named Sabbatianus. When the father learned that Emilian believed in Christ, he was so enraged that he insulted him with vulgar words and had him whipped. He pointed out that he could expect even worse things to happen to him if he remained a Christian.

Instead of being intimidated by these threats, Saint Emilian’s faith in Christ was strengthened. The next day he went into a pagan temple and smashed the statues with a hammer.

An angry crowd started to beat a certain Christian, who was passing by. Saint Emilian then shouted out loudly that they should not harm that innocent man, since he himself was the one who had damaged the pagan temple.

The saint was seized and brought to Capitolinus the governor for judgement. In spite of further threats, Saint Emilian would not deny Christ. “He is my Lord, and I will never deny Him,” the martyr exclaimed. The governor ordered that Saint Emilian be beaten mercilessly, and then to be burned alive. He did not perish when he was thrown into the fire, but instead the flames consumed many of the pagans who were standing about. When the fire had gone out, Saint Emilian lay down upon the dying embers, and gave up his soul to the Lord. The wife of the pagan ruler was also a secret Christian, and she gathered up the saint’s relics and buried them. Afterwards, a church dedicated to the holy Martyr Emilian was built at Constantinople, where his relics were transferred.

Troparion — Tone 4

Holy martyr Emilian, / you defended the Church against the idolatry of the pagans. / Because of your faith in Christ, / you were martyred by fire and through a glorious death received your crown. / Pray to Christ God that He may grant us great mercy.

Kontakion — Tone 3

You did not fear the fire, your fellow-servant, / for you were enflamed with divine zeal. / You willingly entered the flames, unconsumed by the fury, / offering yourself in sacrifice to the Lord. / Glorious martyr Emilian, entreat Christ God to grant us His great mercy.