September is the month of martyrs and martyrdoms in the Orthodox Church. The orthodox saints celebrated in this month include St. Lucy, a woman who was betrayed by her own son. Also celebrated are St. Cyprian the elder and St. Matthew, whose relics were divided between the Armenians and Byzantines.
Table of Contents
St. Lucy was betrayed by her own son
In a world where Christians are being persecuted, St. Lucy was an important Christian figure. This young virgin was threatened with a prostitute’s house if she did not abandon her Christian beliefs. She was able to save her virginity by praying to St. Lucy, who had been imprisoned for her faith.
The earliest written mention of Saint Lucy’s story dates from the late 400s. Her story is mentioned in the Acts of the Martyrs, and by the 6th century, the legend had spread to Europe. However, the details of the story are different. In some versions of the story, the pagan betrothed of St. Lucy denounced her Christian faith to the authorities, and this led to her execution.
Another legend says that St. Lucy was betrayed by her own son, but she did not let this happen. She was ordered to offer a sacrifice to the emperor, but refused. This angered the emperor and forced her to flee to safety.
St. Anastasius the elder and Anastasius the younger were seized by the Emperor
The city of Constantinople was ravaged by plague and factions in the hippodrome. The emperor, Justinian, went to the hippodrome and confessed his mistakes. The people were grateful to the emperor for his apology, but he retreated precipitately to his palace. He suspected that the citizens were distrusting his assurances and that there was a secret conspiracy to bring down his government. He suspected that the greens were being supplied with money and arms by the imperial family. Two nephews of Anastasius were also put in jail.
The persecution continued for many years. The Emperor tried to get rid of both of them, but the bishops refused. During this time, the Emperor seized the bodies of St. Anastasius the elder and Anastasius the younger. These martyrs were eventually thrown in jail, but they were eventually released.
The emperor was a Christian. He was wary of receiving letters from Christian clerics, but he sent a letter to the monks approving them and giving them advice on salvation. He reminded them of the judgment that will come and to pay heed to justice.
St. Matthew’s relics were split between the Armenians and the Byzantines
The Armenians, who ruled over a part of the Black Sea region between the 7th and 11th centuries, had mixed feelings about this event. They regarded the Byzantines as having fallen under the influence of Satan, and they were unhappy that they were trampling on Armenian holy oil and liturgical texts. The Byzantines, however, did not seek to convert the Armenian population and instead regarded them as an integral part of the Byzantine aristocracy and army.
The Armenians believed that the relics were sacred, and they had worshipped them for years. In response, the Armenians deemed the decision to split the relics between the Armenians and the Byzantians as unjust and unnecessary. They also considered this action as a gesture of conciliation and respect for the Armenian people, which has been lacking in previous talks on church union.
After the split, the Byzantines reclaimed control over the area. The Armenians also gained a foothold in Thrace. Under the guidance of Maurice, a considerable number of Armenian troops were recruited. In fact, ethnically Armenian commanders, such as Sahak Mamikonian and Smbat Bagratuni, formed the backbone of the Byzantine army from 582 until 1071. This resulted in a dramatic change in the history of the Byzantine Empire.
