Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to the sepulchre, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to annoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils, that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matt 27:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41. Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14).Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Saviour, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Saviour's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counsellors who were in Jerusalem. He went boldly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matt. 27:60).
Copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by permission. All rights reserved

Icon copyright Theologic Systems


Irene the great Martyr of Thessaloniki
May 5
Holy Great Martyr Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century,the daughter of the pagan king Licinius. She was very beautiful, and her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the time she was six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity. An old tutor by the name of Apellian was assigned to give her the best possible education. Apellian was a Christian, and during her lessons, he told the girl about Christ the Saviour and taught her the Christian Faith and the Christian virtues.

When Penelope reached adolescence, her parents began to think about her marriage. One day, a dove flew through the window carrying an olive branch in its beak, depositing it upon a table. Then an eagle swooped in with a wreath of flowers in its beak, and placed it upon the table. Finally, a raven flew in carrying a snake, which it dropped on the table. Apellian explained that the dove signified her education, and the olive branch stood for the grace of God, which is received in Baptism. The eagle with the wreath of flowers represented success in her future life. The raven and the snake foretold her future suffering and sorrow.

Apellian said that the Lord wished to betroth her to Himself and that Penelope would undergo much suffering for her heavenly Bridegroom. After this Penelope refused marriage, the priest Timothy baptized her with the new name Irene (meaning peace in Greek). She even urged her own parents to become Christians. Shortly after this, she destroyed all her father's idols.

Since St Irene had dedicated herself to Christ, she refused to marry any of the suitors her father had chosen for her. When Licinius learned that his daughter refused to worship the pagan gods, he was furious. He attempted to turn her from Christ by having her tortured. She was tied up and thrown beneath the hooves of wild horses so that they might trample her to death, but he horses remained motionless. Instead of harming the saint, one of the horses charged Licinius, seized his right hand, and tore it from his arm. Then it knocked Licinius down and began to trample him. They untied the holy virgin, and through her prayers Licinius rose unharmed in the presence of eyewitnesses with his hand intact.

Seeing such a miracle, Licinius and his wife, and many of the people, (about 3000 men) believed in Christ and turned from the pagan gods. Resigning his administrative duties, Licinius devoted himself to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. St Irene lived in the house of her teacher Apellian, and she began to preach Christ among the pagans, converting them to the path of salvation.

When Sedecius, the new governor of the city, heard of this miracle he summoned Apellian and questioned him about Irene's manner of life. Apellian replied that Irene, like other Christians, lived in strict temperance, devoting herself to constant prayer and reading holy books. Sedecius summoned the saint to him and urged her to stop preaching about Christ. He also attempted to force her to sacrifice to the idols. St. Irene staunchly confessed her faith before the governor, not fearing his wrath, and prepared to undergo suffering for Christ. By order of Sedecius she was thrown into a pit filled with vipers and serpents. The Saint spent ten days in the pit and remained unharmed, for an angel of the Lord protected her and brought her food. Sedecius ascribed this miracle to sorcery, and he subjected St Irene to many other tortures, but she remained unharmed. Under the influence of her preaching and miracles, more people were converted to Christ, and turned away from the worship of inanimate idols.

Sedecius was deposed by his son Savorus, who persecuted Christians with an even greater zeal than his father had done. St Irene went to her home town of Magedon in Persia to meet Savorus and his army, and ask him to end the persecution. When he refused, St Irene prayed and his entire army was blinded. She prayed again and they received their sight once more. In spite of this, Savorus refused to recognize the power of God. a bolt of lightning then struck him. After this, St Irene walked into the city and performed many miracles. She returned to the tower built by her father, accompanied by the priest Timothy. Through her teaching, she converted five thousand people to Christ.

The Saint then went to the city of Callinicus, or Callinicum (possibly on the Euphrates River in Syria). The ruler of that place was King Numerian, the son of Sebastian. When she began to teach about Christ, the pagan authorities arrested and tortured her. She was placed into three bronze oxen, which were heated by fire. She was transferred from one to another, but miraculously she remained uninjured. Thousands of idolaters embraced Christianity because of this wondrous event. Sensing the approach of death, Numerian instructed his eparch Babdonus to continue torturing the saint in order to force her to sacrifice to idols. Once again, the tortures were ineffective, and many people turned to Christ.

Christ's holy martyr then travelled to the city of Constantina, 60 km northeast of Edessa. By 330 AD, the Persian king Sapor II (309-379 AD) had heard of St Irene's great miracles. To prevent her from winning more people to Christ, she was arrested, beheaded, and then buried. However, God sent an angel to raise her up again, and she went into the city of Mesembria. After seeing her alive and hearing her preach, the local king was baptized with many of his subjects.

Wishing to convert even more pagans to Christianity, St Irene went to Ephesus, where she taught the people and performed many miracles. The Lord revealed to her that the end of her life was approaching. Then St. Irene left the city accompanied by six people, including her former teacher Apellian. On the outskirts of the town, she found a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. After making the sign of the Cross, she went inside, directing her companions to close the entrance to the cave with a large stone, which they did. When Christians visited the cave four days later, they did not find the body of the Saint.

Apellian returned after only two days, and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Thus did God glorify St. Irene, who loved Him and devoted her life to serving Him. Although many of these miracles may seem improbable to those who are sceptical, nothing is impossible with God. St Irene led thousands of people to Christ through her preaching, and by her example. The Church continues to honour her memory and to seek her heavenly intercession.

St Irene is one of the twelve Virgin Martyrs who appeared to St Seraphim of Sarov (commemorated January 2) and the Diveyevo nun Eupraxia on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1831 AD. By her holy prayers, may the Lord have mercy upon us and save us.



Irene the great Martyr of Thessaloniki
May 5
Irene lived in the Balkans during apostolic times in the town of Magedon. Her father Licinius was of lesser royal nobility. Some think that she was a Slav. Irene was born a pagan of pagan parents. Penelope was her pagan name. She learned about the Christian Faith from her teacher Appelianus. St. Timothy, the disciple of the Apostle Paul, baptized her and her court attendants and provided her with the epistles of the Apostle Paul to read. Refusing to marry, she enraged her father and he wanted to torture her but, in a miraculous manner, she converted her father to Christianity. Irene was subjected to various tortures by four kings, not counting her father but, God through His angels, spared her. Surviving all tortures, by which she converted a countless number of pagans to Christianity, Irene entered the town of Callipolis [Gallipoli] where she preached the Faith of Christ. The local king Numerian wanted to kill her, but the virgin was saved and remained alive. Many witnessed and believed. The governor Vaudon took her to the town of Constantina where he tried to kill her on red-hot grates. But that did not harm St. Irene and she converted many to the True Faith. Finally, Irene arrived in the town of Mesembria where she was slain by King Sapor but God restored her to life. The king, with many of the people, upon witnessing this, believed in Christ and were baptized. Thus, St. Irene, by her suffering and miracles converted over one-hundred thousand pagans to the Faith of Christ. Finally, she lay down in a grave and ordered Appelianus to close the grave. After four days, when they opened the grave, she was not in the grave. Thus, God glorified forever the virgin and martyr Irene, who sacrificed all and endured all so that God may be glorified among men.