Hieromartyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia; St Arseny, Bishop of Tver

Saints commemorated

• Saint of the day

  Hieromartyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia

  Theodotus (†c. 320/326) was Bishop of Cyrenia (Kyrenia) in Cyprus and a confessor of the faith under the emperor Licinius. A native of Galatia in Asia Minor, he governed the church of Cyrenia and preached Christ openly, summoning the pagans to abandon their idols. Arrested and brought before the provincial governor, he endured prolonged and savage tortures without yielding, confessing Christ throughout. When Constantine's victory brought peace to the Church and the prisoners of the faith were released, Theodotus returned to his see and shepherded his flock a while longer before reposing in peace. Though he died of natural causes, the Church numbers him among the hieromartyrs for the sufferings he bore in confession. He is commemorated on March 2.

• Saint of the day

  

  St Arseny, Bishop of Tver

  Arsenius (†1409) was Bishop of Tver and the founder of the Zheltikov Monastery of the Dormition on the river Tmaka near that city. Born at Tver, he was tonsured young in the Kiev Caves Monastery, and rose to be archdeacon to Metropolitan Cyprian of Kiev and Moscow, whose administration he helped govern. In 1390, over his own reluctance, he was consecrated bishop of Tver, a see torn by the feuds of its princes; there he laboured as a peacemaker, built churches and his monastery, and had copied for its monks the great manuscript collection later known as the Arsenian redaction of the Kiev Caves Paterikon. He reposed in 1409; his incorrupt relics were uncovered in 1483, and he was canonised by the Moscow Council of 1547. He is commemorated on March 2.

• The Four Hundred and Forty Martyrs of Lombardy (579)

• Holy Martyr Euthalia (257)

  Euthalia (†c. 257) was a young virgin-martyr of Leontini (Lentini) in Sicily. Her mother, Eutropia, long afflicted with an issue of blood, was healed through the intercession of the martyrs of Lentini and was baptised together with Euthalia; but Euthalia's brother Sermylian, an ardent pagan, was enraged at their conversion. When Euthalia refused to renounce Christ, he pursued and abused her, and at the last beheaded her with his own hand. She is honoured among the virgin-martyrs and is commemorated on March 2 in the Orthodox calendar (and on August 27 in the West).

• Hesychius the Senator

  Hesychius (†c. 302) was a Roman senator and high official of the imperial palace under the emperor Maximian, martyred in the Diocletianic persecution. When Maximian ordered that Christians be stripped of their military belts and dignities and expelled from his service, Hesychius willingly gave up his rank rather than deny Christ. Summoned and reproached by the emperor for choosing disgrace over his high estate, he confessed the faith openly; whereupon Maximian had a great millstone bound to him and cast him into a river of Bithynia, where he was drowned. He is numbered among the confessing officials of the imperial court who chose the loss of all things for Christ, and is commemorated on March 2.

• Troadius of Neocaesarea

  Troadius (†c. 250) was a young martyr of Neocaesarea in Pontus who suffered under the emperor Decius, enduring fearful tortures for the confession of Christ. His memory is bound to that of his great fellow-townsman Gregory the Wonderworker, bishop of Neocaesarea, who — the tradition holds — was granted to see the young man's whole passion in a vision, beholding his torments and the departure of his soul to Christ even as they were happening, and afterward bore witness to his martyrdom. Troadius is commemorated on March 2.

British Isles and Ireland

• St. Chad, bishop of Lichfield (672)
• St. Gistilian, uncle of St. David (6th C)
• St. Fergna, abbot of Iona (637)
• St. Cynibild, brother of SS Chad and Cedd (7th C)
• St. Slebhine, abbot of Iona (767)
• St. Joavan (c.570)
• St. Willeic (726)

Troparia & kontakia

Readings