Dear Friends,
Having concluded the 40 day celebration of Easter and the 10 days of Pentecost we resume the regular weekly structure, namely Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays observed as feasts of the saints; Wednesdays and Fridays as fasting days; and Sundays dedicated to the resurrection of our Lord.
The saints celebrated this week are of particular importance with regard to the founding of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
- Monday – Holy Virgin Hripsime and her Companions
- Tuesday – Holy Virgin Gayane and her Companions
- Thursday – St. John the Forerunner (Baptist) and St. Athenogenes the Bishop
- Saturday – Feast of St. Gregory the Enlightener’s Emergence from the Deep Pit
The least known of the above being St. Athenogenes, I present you with his life according to “Saints and Feasts” by Patriarch Torkom Koushagian.
The Bishop Athenogenes
He was the brother of St. Gregory the Enlightener’s wife, Mariam, from the border region between Sepastia and Cesarea. From an early age he exhibited the grace of holiness and was thus adopted by the bishop of Sepastia and later ordained to the priesthood. He committed himself to the work of freeing prisoners, who had been taken by captive by the barbarians.
Thanks to miracles he performed and his inspired preaching he managed to convert many gentiles. Soon after he was ordained bishop of Bikdon and where he was renowned for his great deeds.
When the persecutions became more severe in Sepastia, Athenogenes visited and encouraged prisoners. When his fame became known to Diocletian and Maximianos, an imperial decree was issued to have him murdered. Some of his disciples had already been arrested and martyred before him. However, one of them, named Severianos, who had renounced Christianity, betrayed him by falsely claiming him to be an enemy of Caesar.
Following examination, having been found to be courageously steadfast in his faith, he was immediately thrown into the fire, where he gave up his spirit. Others say that he was beheaded together with his ten disciples, whose names are not remembered.
St. Gregory the Enlightener received the body of Athenogenes as a gift from Ghevontius, the bishop of Ceasarea. He took the saint’s body and relics of St. John the Forerunner back to Armenia and placed them in Armenian monasteries.
Through the prayers of St. John the Baptist and the Holy Bishop Athenogenes, may the Lord accept our prayers and save us. Amen.
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With prayers.
Hayr Simeon
May 18, 2008