Monday, 2 November 2026

Martyr Acindynus of Persia and Others

Monday of the 23rd week after Pentecost

204 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidephorus and Anempodistus

The Holy Martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidephorus and Anempodistus suffered for Christ in Persia during the reign of King Shapur II (310-381), under whose long persecution thousands of Christians were tortured and killed. Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were courtiers of the king, secret Christians who taught the faith openly and converted many. When their confession became known they were arrested and subjected to fearsome torments: they were thrown into fire, flogged, hung up, and exposed to wild beasts, but in each ordeal divine grace preserved them, and many witnessing the miracles came to faith in Christ, including the courtier Aphthonius and the senator Elpidephorus, who joined them in confessing the Saviour. Aphthonius was beheaded; Elpidephorus and seven thousand who confessed Christ at his example were also put to the sword; finally Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus, together with the king's own mother who had been converted by their witness, were burned to death. Christians came secretly by night, found their bodies unharmed by the flames, and buried them with reverence.

Holy martyrs Attikus, Eudoxius, Agapius and companions of Sebaste

The Holy Martyrs Attikus, Eudoxius, Agapius and their companions were soldiers in the Roman army stationed in the region of Sebaste in Armenia who suffered for Christ during the persecutions of the early fourth century. Refusing to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods at the command of their officers, they openly confessed faith in the one true God and were subjected to torture. After enduring beatings, scourging and imprisonment without yielding their confession, they were finally put to death by the sword and received the crown of martyrdom. They are commemorated together with the other martyrs of this day as steadfast witnesses to Christ within the ranks of the imperial army.

Saint Marcian of Cyrrhus

Saint Marcian was a fourth-century ascetic born of a noble family in Cyrrhus in Syria. He left behind a position at the imperial court and a promising military career to embrace the life of a hermit in the desert of Chalcis, near Antioch. There he built a small cell and shut himself within it, devoting his days and nights to unceasing prayer, the singing of psalms, the reading of Scripture, and strict fasting. His holiness drew many disciples, among them Eusebius and Agapetus, who later founded their own monastic communities under his guidance, so that he is reckoned a father of Syrian monasticism. Despite his desire for solitude, the fame of his miracles brought visitors from far and wide, and bishops sought his counsel. He confronted the heresies of his time, including Eunomianism, with calm and discerning Orthodoxy. He reposed around 387 in his desert hermitage, and was honoured by Theodoret of Cyrrhus in his "History of the Monks of Syria" written in 423.

Saints Cyprian and Juliana of Bisibis

Saints Cyprian and Juliana suffered together for Christ in the Persian region around the city of Bisibis (Nisibis) in the persecutions of the fourth century. Husband and wife, they refused to abandon their Christian confession at the demand of the Persian magi and were arrested with other believers. After enduring imprisonment and torture without renouncing the Saviour, they were put to death and received the crown of martyrdom alongside the more famous companions of this day. Their joint witness as a married couple is honoured by the Church together with the other Persian and Syrian martyrs commemorated on 2 November.

Also commemorated: Martyr Acindynus of Persia and Others

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 1.1-5

¹Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; ³Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; ⁴Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 11.29-33

²⁹And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. ³⁰For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. ³¹The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. ³³No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.