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- Holy Martyrs Galaction and Episteme (~250)
- A pagan couple, Cleitophon and Leucippe, who lived in Emesa in the
reign of the Emperor Decius, were grieved that they were unable to have
children. One day a monk named Onuphrius came to their door seeking
alms to give to the poor, and seeing Leucippe's downcast face, asked her
what was wrong. When she replied that she was barren, Onuphrius told
her that this was by God's providence, to prevent their child from being
given over to idolatry, and that if they accepted Christ she would bear
a child. Leucippe was baptized into the Faith and bore a son not long
after, which in turn brought her husband to faith in Christ. The son
was named Galaction in baptism.
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Years later, Galaction's father, now widowed, decided that
Galaction should marry a pagan maiden named Episteme. Galaction married
out of obedience, but would not approach Episteme's bed since she was a
pagan. In time, he convinced her of the truth of the Faith and
baptised her himself. Not long after she was told in a dream of the
glory that awaits those who consecrate themselves wholly to God. When
she told her husband of the dream, they both resolved to remain in
virginity, settling in separate monastic communities near to one
another.
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In one of the Emperor's persecutions of Christians, Galaction was
seized by imperial soldiers and taken away to be killed. Episteme, told
in a vision of his arrest, asked the blessing of her abbess to join him
in martyrdom. Receiving it, she hurried to Galaction's place of
imprisonment, boldly announced her faith in Christ, and after many
tortures and humiliations husband and wife were beheaded together.
sources: http://www.abbamoses.com |
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Category: Today's saint |
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