May 5
Reading:
Saint Irene was the daughter of a princelet called
Licinius; named Penelope by her parents, through a divine revelation she
was brought to faith in Christ and at Baptism was renamed Irene. In her
zeal for piety she broke in pieces all the idols of her father, who
commanded that she be trampled underfoot by horses. But while she
remained unharmed, one of the horses rose up and cast down her father,
killing him. By her prayer she raised him to life again, and he believed
and was baptized. Afterwards, in many journeyings, Saint Irene
suffered torments and punishments for her faith, but was preserved by
the power of God, while working dread miracles and converting many
thousands of souls. At last she came to Ephesus, where she fell asleep
in peace, in the first half of the fourth century. Two days after her
death, her gravestone was found lifted off, and her grave empty. At
least two churches were dedicated to Saint Irene in Constantinople, and
she is also the patroness of the Aegean island of Thera, which is
commonly called Santorin (or Santorini), a corruption of "Saint Irene."
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O
my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, and with
Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may
reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me
offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our
souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
Being fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty, thou
becamest fairer still in thy brave contest, O virgin; for when thou, in
thine own spilt blood, wast stained and reddened, O Irene, thou
overthrewest ungodly error. Hence, thou hast received the prizes of thy
good vict'ry from thy Creator's right hand.
SOURCE:
SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2010(with 2009's link here also and further, 2008's, even 2007!
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