07 ЛИСТОПАДА / NOVEMBER 7

Saint Hieron the Martyr was born in the city of Tiana in Cappadocia and was raised by his devout Christian mother. He grew into a kind and virtuous man, known for his strength and courage.

During the persecution of Christians under Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, a military commander named Lysias was sent to Cappadocia to recruit soldiers and suppress Christianity. When Hieron was ordered to join the army, he refused to serve rulers who persecuted Christians. He resisted the soldiers sent to arrest him and took refuge in a cave with eighteen other believers. Eventually, persuaded by his friend Cyriacus, Hieron agreed to leave his hiding place and was taken with other recruits to the city of Melitene.

There, Hieron and thirty-two fellow soldiers refused to offer sacrifices to pagan gods and openly confessed their faith in Christ. They endured cruel tortures, and Hieron’s arm was cut off at the elbow. After being imprisoned, they were beheaded for their faith.

A Christian named Chrysanthus obtained Hieron’s head and built a church in honor of the martyrs. Later, during the reign of Emperor Justinian, the relics of the martyrs were discovered during the construction of the Church of Hagia Eirene. Saint Hieron and his companions are remembered for their courage and steadfast devotion to Christ.

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Saint Lazarus the Wonderworker of Mount Galesius was born in Magnesia, in Lydia. From a young age, he loved God and pursued spiritual knowledge. He became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Savva in Palestine, where he spent ten years in prayer, obedience, and ascetic discipline. Later, he was ordained a priest by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and returned to his homeland.

Saint Lazarus settled on Mount Galesius near Ephesus, where he experienced a vision of a fiery pillar reaching toward heaven, surrounded by angels singing praises to God. At that place, he built a church dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ and embraced the life of a pillar-dwelling ascetic.

His holiness attracted many disciples, and a monastery grew around him. Through his teaching and example, he guided the monks in their spiritual lives. When he received a revelation of his approaching death, the brethren prayed with tears, and God granted him fifteen additional years of life.

Saint Lazarus reposed in the Lord in 1053 at the age of 72. He was buried beside the pillar where he had spent many years in prayer, and numerous miracles were reported through his intercession after his death.