THE HOLY GREAT MARTYR THEODORE STRATELATES

June 8

From the Prologue

This saint is commemorated on February 8 and on that date his life is recounted. However, June 8 commemorates the translation of his relics from Heraklion to Euchaita. Before his martyrdom, Saint Theodore left the following instructions in his will to Varus his servant: 'Bury my body in Euchaita on the estate of my ancestors.' St. Anastasius of Sinai wrote about the miracle of the icon of St. Theodore: In the town of Karsat near Damascus, there was a church dedicated to St. Theodore Stratelates. When the Saracens conquered Damascus, a group of Saracens took up residence in this church with their wives and children. There was a fresco of the image of St. Theodore on the wall. One of the Saracens shot an arrow and str-uck the image of the saint in the face. At once blood flowed from the image. Soon after that, the entire group of those Saracens perished in the church. St. Anastasius said that he was personally in that church, saw the image of the saint on the wall and traces of congealed blood.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT EPHREM

Saint Ephrem, brimming with piety,

Was a soldier against evildoers,

Against sinful heresies and the stupid

And for the Church that Christ purchased

By [His] Blood shed on the Cross,

By [His] Blood eternally glorified.

Ephrem guards the flock from wolves

And the nests of the spiders, he destroys.

Ephrem holy, chosen one of God,

A light in Antioch, he was,

The Church shown through his mouth

As at the time of the glorious Chrysostom,

God glorified His glorifier

By miraculous healing power.

Ephrem, the star in the glorious past,

Ephrem, the glory of the Orthodox Church.