Monday, 16 February 2026

Martyr Pamphylius and His Companions

Monday of Cheesefare

55 days before Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · Fast (Meat Fast)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Pamphilus the Presbyter

Saint Pamphilus the Presbyter was among the holy martyrs of Caesarea in Palestine who suffered persecution for the Orthodox faith. He is commemorated with other faithful witnesses including Valens, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyry, Julian, Theodulus, Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel and others who together underwent torments and death rather than deny their faith in Christ. These martyrs remain exemplars of Christian perseverance and fidelity to the Gospel. Their collective witness during periods of persecution strengthened the Church and inspired countless believers to endure hardship for Christ's sake.

Martyrs Pamphilius and those with him, at Caesarea in Palestine

308

These twelve holy Martyrs suffered in the reign of Diocletian. “The first of these, Pamphilius, was priest in the church at Caesarea in Palestine; a learned and devout man, he corrected the mistakes of various copiers in the text of the New Testament. He himself copied this saving Book and gave it to any who desired it. The second was a deacon, Valentine, old in years and white with wisdom. He was a great expert in the Holy Scriptures, knowing them by heart. The third was Paul, a respected and eminent man, who had on a previous occasion been cast into the fire for the sake of Christ. With them were five Egyptians, brothers both in blood and soul, who were returning to their native land from serving a sentence in the mines of Cilicia. As they reached the gate of the town of Caesarea they said that they were Christians, and were therefore brought to trial. When asked their names, they replied: ‘We have cast away the pagan names given us by our mother, and are called Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.’ when asked where they were from, they replied: ‘From Jerusalem that is above.’ They were all beheaded, and a young man called Porphyrius, who had searched for their bodies to give them burial, suffered soon afterwards. Him they burned. An officer, Seleucus, who had come up to the martyrs and embraced them before the sword descended on their heads, was also burned, and an old man, Theodulus, a servant of the Roman judge, who had embraced one of the martyrs while they were under escort. Lastly Julian, who had kissed the dead bodies of the martyrs and honoured them, followed them in death. So they exchanged the small for the greater, the tawdry for the precious and death for immortality, and went to the Lord in 308.” (Prologue) The Synaxarion concludes, “After the martyrdom of Pamphilius, the leader of the glorious cohort, the impious governor gave orders that his body and those of his companions should be left where they lay as food for carnivorous animals. However by God’s Providence, no animal came near their holy relics, which the Christians were able to lay to rest with due honour.” The account of these Martyrs was written by Eusebius of Caeserea, Pamphilius’ disciple.

Saint Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Flavian served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 446 to 449 during a tumultuous period marked by the spread of heretical doctrines. He convened a local council at Constantinople in 448 to examine the teachings of Eutyches, an archimandrite who denied the full humanity of Christ by asserting that the Lord possessed only a divine nature. Saint Flavian's council clearly condemned this heresy and affirmed the orthodox understanding that Christ is both fully divine and fully human, united in one Person. Dioscorus, a patriarch hostile to Orthodox theology, opposed Saint Flavian with threats and force, compelling the patriarch to suffer grievous injury. Saint Flavian died from these wounds shortly after the council, becoming a confessor for his steadfast defence of the true faith. Though he fell victim to false accusation in his own time, the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451 vindicated him completely, condemning the Eutychian heresy and proclaiming Saint Flavian a holy martyr and confessor of the Orthodox faith.

Saint Maruthas, Bishop of Martyropolis in Mesopotamia

381

Saint Maruthas was a learned ecclesiastic and bishop of Martyropolis (also known as Tagrith), a city he founded between the Byzantine Empire and Persia to serve as a refuge for persecuted Christians. He was renowned for his knowledge, piety, and literary works, composing a Commentary on the Gospel, Verses of Maruthas, and a Liturgy that bears his name. He also produced an authoritative account of the First Ecumenical Council held at Nicea in 325. In the year 381, Saint Maruthas participated in the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople against the heresy of Macedonius. Under the Persian ruler Sapor's persecution, he suffered greatly, yet he laboured tirelessly to rebuild churches that had been destroyed and to collect the relics of martyrs, transferring them to Martyropolis for veneration. He served as an envoy to the court of the Byzantine emperor and also petitioned the Persian Shah on behalf of persecuted Christians. After decades of faithful service, Saint Maruthas departed to the Lord in the year 422, having established Martyropolis as a centre of Orthodox faith and learning.

Venerable Romanus of Cilicia, the Wonderworker

Saint Romanus was born in the city of Roson in Cilicia but devoted his life to strict asceticism and prayer in the harsh deserts of Syria. During the fifth century, he built a small cell in a mountain cave near Antioch, where he pursued the monastic life with rigorous fasting and constant prayer, separating himself from the distractions of the world to commune with God alone. Because of his holy life and his fervent prayers, God granted Saint Romanus the gift of working miracles. His reputation for holiness attracted many faithful who sought his blessing and spiritual counsel. He healed those afflicted with grave illnesses through his intercessions, and by his prayers, many infertile women were enabled to bear children. Though he sought solitude in the desert, his compassionate heart moved him to help those in need, and his prayers became a source of healing and hope for the suffering. Saint Romanus departed this life leaving behind a legacy of faithfulness and the memory of one who truly lived as a servant of God's healing grace.

Also commemorated: Martyr Pamphylius and His Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

3 John — 3 John 1.1-14

¹The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ³For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. ⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; ⁶Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ⁷Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. ⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

⁹I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. ¹⁰Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. ¹²Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: ¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 19.29-40, 22.7-39

²⁹And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, ³⁰Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. ³¹And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. ³²And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. ³³And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? ³⁴And they said, The Lord hath need of him. ³⁵And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. ³⁶And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. ³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. ³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. ⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

⁷Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. ⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. ⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? ¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. ¹¹And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ¹²And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. ¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. ¹⁴And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. ¹⁵And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: ¹⁶For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. ¹⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: ¹⁸For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

¹⁹And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁰Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

²¹But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. ²²And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! ²³And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

²⁴And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. ²⁵And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. ²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. ²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. ²⁸Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. ²⁹And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; ³⁰That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³²But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ³³And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. ³⁴And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. ³⁵And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. ³⁶Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. ³⁷For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. ³⁸And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

³⁹And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.