Tir 1 — January 09

Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

Today we remember Saint Stephen. He was an apostle, and he was an archdeacon too, which means he was a special helper in the church. The Bible says his heart was full of God's love and the Holy Spirit, and God worked through him to feed and heal the people around him.

Stephen loved to tell everyone the true story of God. He told them how God talked to Abraham long ago, and about Joseph and his brothers, and about Jesus, who died and then rose again, alive! His face was so full of God's peace that it shone like the face of an angel.

Some people did not want to listen. They were angry and took Stephen outside the city. But Stephen looked up and saw heaven open, with Jesus standing beside God. Even when those men hurt him, Stephen was not angry back. He prayed for them and asked God to forgive them, just as Jesus did. Then Stephen went home to be with God. He is called a martyr, which means someone who stayed faithful to God to the very end. His friends loved him very much and laid him to rest with care.

Behold, I see heaven open, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God His Father.— Saint Stephen, from the Acts of the Apostles

Saint Lavendius, Who Was Brave for God

Saint Lavendius (also called Leontius) lived long ago in a land called Syria. He was a true friend of God who prayed and worshipped Him every day.

A powerful emperor offered Lavendius lots of money and nice gifts if he would stop worshipping God and bow to statues instead. But Lavendius would never trade God for gold! He gently said no and kept his heart with God.

The emperor was cruel to him, but again and again God kept Lavendius safe and healed him and made him strong. At last Lavendius went home to heaven and received a crown from God, like a prize for a brave and faithful friend. After that, God answered prayers through him, and people all over Syria heard his story. They built churches to thank God for him. In one of those churches, a little boy named Severus was baptized, and he grew up to be a great church leader too.

Abba Macarius, the Gentle Archbishop

Abba Macarius was the sixty-first archbishop of the city of Alexandria. An archbishop is a leader who watches over many churches at once. But Macarius never wanted to be famous or important.

When the church needed a new leader, wise men went deep into the quiet desert to ask the holy monks who would be best. The monks there spent their days praying far from the noise of the towns, and every one of them pointed to Macarius. 'I am too small for such a big job,' he said, because he was humble. But the people loved him and chose him anyway.

Macarius turned out to be a fine leader. He chose good helpers for churches everywhere and repaired many old churches so people had safe, welcoming places to pray. For twenty-seven years, God's people lived in peace because of him. When his work was done, he died quietly and went home to God.

The Faithful Friends of Akmim

In a town called Akmim there were two brothers named Dioscurus and Saklabius. Their father had taught them to love God with fasting and prayer. When they grew up, an angel of God told them to go and live with the holy monks, so they did, and they became monks who loved God with all their hearts.

One day a ruler came who did not love God and tried to make everyone stop following Jesus. But Dioscurus and Saklabius were not afraid, because the Archangel Michael came to them and made them strong and brave.

Then something wonderful happened in their church. While the priest was praying, the people saw Jesus our Savior with the angels all around Him, singing 'Holy, Holy, Holy!' God was right there with them. And when the brothers were hurt, an angel came and healed them again. Many soldiers saw all this and decided to believe in Jesus too.

The brave brothers and their friends stayed faithful to God to the very end and became martyrs. Before they went home to heaven, Jesus made them a beautiful promise: anyone who remembers them and tells their story will be counted among God's good and faithful people. Their kind cousin Samuel laid them to rest in a church built in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Whoever remembers them and tells their story will be counted among God's righteous friends.— the promise of the Lord Jesus

The Many Faithful Helpers

On this day we remember a great many more of God's faithful friends who lived in that same time. Some were priests and deacons. Some were singers and church helpers and judges, and very many were ordinary people just like us.

All of them loved Jesus and stayed faithful to Him, even when it was hard. They are like a huge happy family of God's friends in heaven now. When we remember them, we thank God for giving people such brave and loving hearts.