April 26th Calendar: Who’s Celebrating Today – Newsbomb – News

Todayin accordance with calendarhe’s got feast the:

• Glafyros, Glafyra, Glafyri, Glafyroula

Saint Makedonios II Patriarch of Constantinople

According to saint.gr, the Holy Hieromartyr Vasileus lived during the reign of King Licinius (307-323 AD) and was Bishop of Amasia of Pontus. Bishop Vasileus was distinguished for his zeal in favor of the faith and his tireless activity in the performance of his duties. Because everywhere there were errors and dangers, he hastened everywhere himself preaching, advising, comforting, strengthening, supporting, attracting, thickening and heartening the Christian classes and bringing them up as spiritually strong as possible against the pagan world.

For this reason the priests and the rulers of the pagans harbored a fierce enmity against him. And when Licinius, in the year 322 A.D., proceeded with the adverse and persecuting measures against the Christians, they complained to him Bishop of Amasias, Vasileus.

A particular incident peaked Licinius’ anger against Bishop Vasileos. Near the empress Constantia there once lived as an attendant a young and beautiful daughter, named Glaphyra. Because of her beauty Licinius was inflamed with sinful passion, being a slave to carnal passions, as he was. The daughter perceived the danger that threatened her honor. As a true Christian, however, she was not at all tempted by the royal love, but grew angry and asked for her salvation in flight. So she dressed in men’s clothes and one night, helped by the queen who learned what was happening, she left Constantinople and arrived in Amasia, where she presented herself to Bishop Vasiles and asked for his moral protection.

The Bishop praised the genuine piety and the unenslaved prudence of the young woman, and placed her close to an elderly Christian woman who was completely devoted to the service of Christ and helped the Bishop significantly in the work of the women of the Church. Glaphyra expressed her deep gratitude and was especially happy that she was given the opportunity to engage in such wonderful activities. He therefore helped in the catechism of women and young girls, who wanted to embrace the Christian faith and become members of the Church, he benefited poor and orphaned children and in addition he paid all the expenses budgeted for the construction of a Christian church in Amasia.

In vain Licinius had searched for her throughout the capital and the suburbs. But the enemies of Bishop Vasileos informed Licinius that that daughter had taken refuge with the Hierarch of Amasia and that he protected her and managed to exploit her wealth for the purposes of the Church. The news lit a fire in the carnivorous and vicious soul of Licinius. He assumed Glaphyra was even alive that he would bring her under his power. But the modest daughter was already dead, and the grave forever thwarted his vulgar desires. Then his fury grew fiercer against Bishop Vasileos. So he ordered him to be brought in irons to Nicomedia. The order was executed and Agios was imprisoned.

The Saint was followed by two of the deacons of the Church of Amasia, Theotimos and Parthenios, who were hosted by a pious and philanthropic Christian named Elpidophoros. The benefactions of the Hopeful to all had made even the prison guards his friends. The two deacons could therefore enter the prison at a certain time, where they enjoyed the pleasure of conversing with their Bishop, hearing the word of truth from his mouth and receiving moral support and consolation.

A few days later, Licinius ordered the imprisoned Bishop to be brought before him. He severely censured him as guilty of the concealment of Glaphyra, and of the zeal with which he defended his Christian faith in defiance of the royal edicts. The Bishop for Glaphyra, replied that he could not fail to grant asylum and protection to the Christian daughter, who was an exile and wanted to save and preserve her honor herself, and that she herself from a pious disposition used her property in favor of of the poor and for the building of a church, things for which a Bishop should exhort the faithful and not hinder them. And for the defiance of the royal decrees, which aimed at the extermination of the Christian faith, the Saint replied that the king Licinius himself had once recognized with Constantine his duty to allow the Christians complete freedom of their worship and their doctrine and that he (the Bishop) still considers that older royal decree to be right and valid, because it was more valuable than anything else. In the end, he begged Licinius, in the name of his own salvation and the future of his state, to revoke the new measures and to recognize the Christians’ freedom of their religious conscience.

King Licinius dismissed the Bishop, keeping a wary attitude, and commissioned one of his lords to see him in person and try to dissuade him from his faith. This particular mission failed and thus the Bishop’s condemnation was ordered. He listened calmly to the decision and prayed to God to have mercy on his soul. He also prayed for the safety of his flock and for the victory of the Church. Then he embraced and blessed the two deacons and the Hopeful One, comforted them in their sorrow and rebuked them for crying, saying that excellent reason that in such dangers Christians ought to guard their tears and willingly shed their blood. Then willingly he bowed his honest head to the executioner, who cut it off. Thus the Saint received the crown of martyrdom.

After that the honest head and the relic of the Holy King were thrown into the sea by royal order. But a fishing ship, casting its nets in the gulf of Sinope, recovered from there the relic of the Saint. And Elpidophoros, as he was informed of the event in a dream, came with the deacons Theotimos and Parthenios and after receiving the Holy relic, they brought it to Amasia, to this holy citadel of the Saints of labor and struggle, and buried it in his beloved land.

The Synagogue of the Holy King was held in the Great Church, in which perhaps part of his sacred setting was kept.

Absolutely

Ἦhos a’. You are lifted up on the Cross

O Servant of the King of glory, I stand before the illegitimate king, Hieromartyr glorified Pammakar King, whence your neck, severed by swords, you joined with joy, to the heavenly word, that we too may suffer, rejoicing in your divine memory.