Monday, 18 May 2026

Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra

Monday of the 6th Sunday of Pascha

36 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and the Seven Holy Virgins

Saint Theodotus lived in the city of Ancyra in Galatia in the late third and early fourth centuries. He was a married man and an innkeeper by profession, but used his trade as a cover to assist the Christians during the persecution of the emperor Diocletian. Outwardly he sold wine and gave shelter to travellers; in secret he hid Christians from arrest, ransomed those who had been captured, gave alms to the poor, and brought the bodies of the martyrs from their places of execution to be honourably buried.

The seven holy virgins, Tecusa, Alexandra, Phaina, Claudia, Euphrasia, Matrona, and Julia, all elderly and consecrated to God from their youth, lived in the same city in continual prayer, fasting and works of charity. Saint Tecusa was the aunt of Saint Theodotus. Brought before the governor Theotecnus, the virgins boldly confessed Christ and refused to take part in the rites of the goddesses Artemis and Athena. They were tortured, but persevered; at last heavy stones were tied to their feet and they were drowned in a nearby lake. That night Saint Tecusa appeared in a dream to Theodotus and asked him to recover their bodies; he did so, with the help of fellow Christians, and buried them. For this he was himself seized, terribly tortured, and beheaded for the name of Christ. The holy seven virgins suffered about the year 303 and Saint Theodotus shortly after them. The Greek calendars also commemorate them on 6 November.

Holy Martyrs Heraclius, Paulinus and Benedimus of Athens

Saints Heraclius, Paulinus and Benedimus were natives of Athens who lived during the persecution of the emperor Decius in the middle of the third century. Filled with zeal for the Gospel, they went about the city preaching the true God and exhorting the pagans to abandon the worship of senseless idols. By their words and the example of their pure lives many of their fellow citizens were turned from idolatry to the light of Christ. When their preaching could no longer be hidden, the three were arrested and brought before the magistrates. They confessed Christ openly and refused to offer sacrifice to the demons. After heavy beatings they were cast into a burning furnace, but the grace of God preserved them unharmed in the flames. The judges, seeing that they could not break their faith, ordered them to be beheaded, and so the three holy martyrs received their crowns together.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Andrew, Paul and Christina

These holy martyrs suffered for Christ during the persecution of the emperor Decius about the year 250. Saint Peter, a young man of Lampsacus on the Hellespont, was brought before the proconsul Optimus and commanded to offer sacrifice to Aphrodite. He refused, declaring it shameful to honour with sacrifice a goddess of unchastity, and was beaten and tortured at length until he gave up his soul to God. After his death the proconsul moved on to Troas, where Saints Andrew and Paul, soldiers from Mesopotamia, were brought before him together with the Christian Dionysius and the virgin Christina, all of whom had been arrested for their faith. The two soldiers were ordered to escort the prisoners. Touched by the courage and beauty of the virgin Christina, they at first tried to seduce her, but she rebuked them so firmly that, instead of falling into sin, they themselves were brought to faith in Christ. When this was discovered, Andrew, Paul and Dionysius were stoned by a pagan mob and so received their crowns, while Christina, who was about sixteen years old, was beheaded. Their bodies were gathered up and buried by Christians in Lampsacus.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Christina, Andrew, Paul, Benedimus, Paulinus, and Heraclius

250

“These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251). Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul. “Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor; there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysius and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded. “Heraclius, Paulinus,and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confesed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.” (Great Horologion) The Prologue adds: “One Nicomachus, who was tortured with them, denied Christ under torture, and instantly lost his mind, tearing at his body with his teeth and foaming at the mouth until he breathed his last.”

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 17.1-15

¹Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: ²And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, ³Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. ⁴And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

⁵But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. ⁶And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; ⁷Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. ⁸And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. ⁹And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

¹⁰And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. ¹²Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. ¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. ¹⁴And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. ¹⁵And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 11.47-57

⁴⁷Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. ⁴⁸If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. ⁴⁹And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, ⁵⁰Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. ⁵¹And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; ⁵²And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. ⁵³Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. ⁵⁴Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

⁵⁵And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? ⁵⁷Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.