37 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ' αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἰησοῦς, πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.
38 ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς αὐτὸς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς κώμην τινά: γυνὴ δέ τις ὀνόματι μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο αὐτόν.
39 καὶ τῇδε ἦν ἀδελφὴ καλουμένη μαριάμ, [ἣ] καὶ παρακαθεσθεῖσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ κυρίου ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ.
40 ἡ δὲ μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν: ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ εἶπεν, κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἡ ἀδελφή μου μόνην με κατέλιπεν διακονεῖν; εἰπὲ οὖν αὐτῇ ἵνα μοι συναντιλάβηται.
41 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ κύριος, μάρθα μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ θορυβάζῃ περὶ πολλά,
42 ἑνὸς δέ ἐστιν χρεία: μαριὰμ γὰρ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται αὐτῆς.
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα Boniface the Merciful of Tarsus. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα Boniface the Merciful of Tarsus. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων

Κυριακή 19 Δεκεμβρίου 2010

Boniface the Merciful of Tarsus, Eutychios the Martyr of Thessaloniki

Reading from the Synaxarion:

This Saint, who lived during the reign of Diocletian, was the servant
of a certain Roman woman of senatorial rank named Aglais. Mistress
and servant lived together in an unlawful union, and Boniface was
moreover given to drunkenness and riotous living. Nevertheless, he was
generous to the poor, hospitable to strangers, and compassionate to those
in misfortune. At last, Aglais, moved at hearing the accounts of the
Martyrs, and believing in the power of their intercessions to obtain the
mercy of God, sent Boniface to Tarsus to obtain relics of holy Martyrs.
Before he departed, he asked her in jest, "And what if they bring back
my body as holy relics?" He then set out with some of his fellow
slaves for Cilicia, where the Saints were contesting in martyrdom. As he
went among the Martyrs and encouraged them in their pains he was
arrested by the ruler and confessed Christ with boldness, and suffered
death as a martyr in the year 290. Thus what he had said in jest to his
mistress was fulfilled when he himself was brought back to her as sacred
relics by his fellow servants. Saint Aglais devoted the remainder, of
her life to prayer and works of virtue, and reposed in sanctity.
Saint Boniface is especially invoked for help against the passion of
drinking.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the
prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal
God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants
and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ
God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Thou didst offer up thyself of thine own choosing as a spotless
sacrifice to Him that for thy sake, O Saint, shall soon be born of a Virgin
Maid, O all-renowned and wise crown-bearer Boniface.