ππΎππΎππΎ#Martyr #Saint #Arsema (#Meskerem 29)
Dear readers and seekers of Orthodox truth, gathered on Meskerem 29, we turn our hearts to the witness of Saint Arsema Beloved in Christ, hear now of the glorious legacy of Saint Arsema, whose martyrdom became a seed of faith and healing for many.
I. The Foundation of Discipleship: Denying the World for Christ
Hearken, O beloved, to the words of our Lord which shine forth as golden lamps illuminating the path to salvation: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me;...what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own life?" Behold in these divine utterances the very pattern and image of our holy mother Arsema's martyrdom! For she left her relatives and friends behind, following the Lord, following the gospel of Christ which was said. She defeated two heretical emperors, Diocletian and Dirac, who were rulers of Rome and Armenia; she was steadfast in her faith; she endured the suffering and oppression inflicted on her by the Roman soldiers. What are earthly kingdoms compared to the heavenly one? What are temporal pleasures weighed against eternal life? She counted all as loss that she might gain Christ.
II. The Heavenly Betrothal and the Earthly Flight
During the reign of the apostate Diocletian, the emperor wanted to marry a beautiful young woman and sent messengers to bring her to him. After they had traveled throughout the country, they found our holy mother, Saint Arsema, with other virgins in a monastery in Rome and sent her picture to the king. Our blessed mother, Saint Arsema, was also very beautiful. When the king saw this picture, he was very pleased with it and ordered them to bring it to him. Hearing this, the virgins, Saint Arsema, and Saint Agatha, the nun of the monastery, fled to Armenia.
III. The Spiritual Battle Against the Tyrant's Wiles
While Saint Arsema dwelt in that place, King Diracatis received a command from Emperor Diocletian. Searching for her, he found her with other saints. He was greatly drawn by her beauty, he decided to keep her for himself. After he had placed her under the prison , he repeatedly attempted to deceive our Holy Mother.
Yet she, perfect in spiritual life and remained faithful to her heavenly Bridegroom. The king himself admitted, "No matter how many times I try, I will not succeed." Later, he sent her mother to persuade her; but instead, her mother( Eme minet ) consoled her all the more, urging her pressingly: "Do not be afraid! Do not be deceived by such an earthly leader. Preserve your heavenly bridehood and your purity above all things."
Finally, when the king moved to take her by force, the Holy Spirit filled her, and she threw this powerful, full-grown man to the ground. The king stood ashamed, wondering, "How could a young girl overcome me?"
IV. The Fiery Trial and the Crown of Martyrdom
The king, angered by all this, wanted to increase the suffering of Saint Arsema, and he made nine virgins stand in front of her and cut off their heads one by one. But she comforted them, saying, "Don't be afraid!" What he did to her, saying that she would be tortured, was actually she saw the saints when they received the heavenly crown. Later, he said, "I will not kill you as quickly as the others," and he tormented her with great pain.Then he cut off her two virgin breasts; This was not enough, so he put out her two eyes; and while she was like this, our Lady, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, gave her special eyes of light. Finally, when he was tired of torturing her, he beheaded her with the remaining virgins on the twenty-ninth day of Meskerem, and they all received the crown of martyrdom. Their number was seventy-five men and thirty-nine women.
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