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THE THIRD MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day Saint Sarapamon, Bishop of the city of Nakiyos (or
Lukyos), became a martyr. This
holy man was a kinsman of Stephen, of the tribe of Levi, from the city of
Jerusalem. His father’s
name was Abraham, and he was a son of Levi, the son of Joseph, brother of
Simon, and brother of the mother of Stephen, and at the time of his birth
he called his name Simon. When
his father died he wished to become a Christian.
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and commanded him go to
Abba John, bishop of the city, and he went to him and the bishop revealed
to him the mystery of Christ our God becoming man.
And it is not said that he baptized him with Christian baptism in
the city of Jerusalem, because of the fear of the Jews, his kinsmen. Now
the bishop of the city was pondering what he should do about him, and our
Lady Mary appeared unto him and told him to depart to the city of
Alexandria, to the Archbishop Abba Theonas.
And as he was going thither, the angel of the Lord was in the form
of a prince, and he informed the archbishop about Sarapamon.
When he had come to him the archbishop taught him the path of God,
and he baptized him with holy Christian baptism.
Then Sarapamon became a monk in the monastery of Abba Severus,
which is outside the city of Alexandria.
When the Archbishop Theonas died, and Abba Peter was appointed to
succeed him, he sent and brought this holy man Sarapamon to him, to help
him in the work of the archiepiscopate.
After this he appointed him Bishop of the city of Nakyanos, and the
churches rejoiced in him greatly, and God wrought very many signs and
wonders by his hands. And
nigh unto his city there were idols, which certain of the people therein
used to worship, and he used to ask God to destroy them.
And God accepted his petition, for the earth swallowed them up and
the waters of the sea rose up over them and covered them; and through his
prayer God destroyed the idols that were in his diocese, and He crushed
the blasphemy of Sibellius who made the Father and the Son, and the Holy
Spirit one Person (or Substance). And
when Diocletian denied Christ certain people told him, saying,
“Sarapamon is destroying the worship of the idols which are the king’s
gods”; and having heard very many complaints he commanded his soldiers
to bring Sarapamon to him, and they did so.
When Saint Sarapamon arrived in the city of Alexandria with the
messengers of the emperor, Abba Peter the archbishop came to him, and
there were many clergy with him, and embraced him, and he saw his face as
it were the face of an angel of God.
And when he came to the Emperor Diocletian had him tortured with
various tortures, and our Lord Jesus Christ raised him up sound and whole,
and uninjured and without suffering; and many people believed because of
him. Now the emperor was
afraid to add to his tortures lest the multitudes should believe through
him. And he sent him away
into Upper Egypt, to Arianus, the governor of Antinoe, so that he might
torture him there and cut off his head with the sword.
Now at that time Arianus was governor of the city of Alexandria.
And Arianus took Saint Sarapamon with him in a ship to go to Upper
Egypt, and when the ship reached Nakyos his city, it ran aground and it
was impossible to remove it from where it stood.
And Arianus had Saint Sarapamon brought up from inside the ship,
and carried him to the north of the city, and they cut off his head with
the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the
heavens. And the people took
his body with great honor, and carried it to the church and laid it
therein, and through it very many signs and miracles were wrought there.
Salutation to Sarapamon before whom the lions bowed when they saw
thy face, which was the image of that of the Creator. And on this day is commemorated Abba Likanos the priest, who
fought a spiritual fight in the monastery of Kuonasel, in the country of
Ethiopia. Salutation to Abba
Likanos, from whose fingers burning lamps shot forth. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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