The Hieromartyr Marcellus, Bishop of Apamea.

Commemorated August 14 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

Born in Cyprus of rich and eminent parents, he was well-educated, and married and had children. When his wife died, he withdrew to follow the monastic life in Syria, leaving his child to Providence. He became known for his compassion, meekness and spiritual learning, because of which the people of Apamea chose him as their bishop. As a bishop, he laboured with zeal to bring pagans to the Christian faith. When an idolatrous temple was burned down, the idolaters seized Marcellus and, on the pretext of his having caused it, threw him into the fire, in about 389. We find in St Marcellus's `Life' that the blessing of water is mentioned, and its use.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK