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The Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete
They suffered for the Lord at the time of the persecutions of Decius in the year 250. Their names are as follows: Theodulus, Saturninus, Europus, Gelasius, Eunician, Zoticus, Pompeius, Agathopous, Basilides and Evaristus. They were all noble and respected citizens, the best of the best. When they were brought out to the place of their execution, they were full of joy and each one of them wanted to be executed first, for they all could not wait to meet Christ, Whom they loved. Then they prayed: “O Lord, forgive your servants and receive our blood, shed for us, for our relatives and friends, and our fatherland, so that all could become free from darkness and ignorance and come to know You, the true light, o eternal King!”
Saint Niphon the Wonderworker
He was born in Paphlagonia and raised in Constantinople at the home of a nobleman. As a young boy he was drawn into bad company and he soon sunk into a life of pleasure and debauchery. Burdened by his sins, he could not even pray to God. By mercy of the Holy Mother of God he returned to the road of righteousness and became a monk. He had countless heavenly visions. For four years he had led a hard struggle against the demon that continually whispered to him: “God does not exist! God does not exist!“ But when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to him, he gained a great power over the evil spirits and was released from the great temptations. He was granted to see angels and demons around men and could discern human thoughts. He conversed with angels and disputed with the evil spirits. He built a church in honour of the Holy Mother of God in Constantinople, he gathered monks around him and led many to salvation. The Archbishop of Alexandria, after receiving a heavenly vision, consecrated him Bishop of the city of Constantiana on Cyprus. At that time Saint Niphon was already in advanced age. He governed the Church for a while and then departed for the Heavenly Kingdom. Before his death, Saint Athanasius the Great, the archdeacon of the Church of Alexandria, visited him and saw his face radiant as the sun after he had given up his soul to God.
Venerable Nahum of Ohrid the Wonderworker
He was the disciple of the Saints Cyril and Methodius and one of their disciples who most zealously cooperated with these Apostles of the Slavs. Saint Nahum went to Rome where he became renowned for his great erudition and his gift of working miracles. He had an excellent command of several languages. With the support of King Boris Michael they settled on the shore of Lake Ohrid when they returned from Rome. While Saint Clement acted as Bishop of Ohrid, Saint Nahum founded a monastery on the south coast of the lake. This monastery ornaments the lake coast as the name of Saint Nahum ornaments the history of Slav Christianity and represents a source of miracle-working power and shelter for the sick and infirm. Numerous monks from all parts of the Balkan gathered around Saint Nahum. He was a wise teacher, unique guide of the monks, resolute ascetics, wonderworker and spiritual father. He relentlessly struggled in the translation of the Holy Scriptures and other church books from Greek into Slavonic. He worked miracles during his life on earth and after he had departed. His miracle-working relics overwhelm by the great many miracles, especially healing of severe illnesses, above all mental illnesses. He fell asleep in the Lord at the first half of the X century.
