Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Martyr Zacchaeus the Deacon of Caesarea in Palestine

Commemorated on November 18

The Holy Martyrs Zacchaeus, Deacon of Gadara, and Alphaeus, Reader of Caesarea, suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Among those arrested during the most fierce persecution against Christians was St Zacchaeus, a deacon of the Gadara church, who openly confessed his faith and did not renounce Christ under torture.

The Diocletian persecution was so fierce that many did not endure, and frightened of the tortures, they agreed to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. St Alphaeus, a reader of the church of Caesarea, zealous for the glory of God, approached a crowd of those fallen away from Christ on their way to offer pagan sacrifice. He urged them not to defile themselves with the impious sacrifices.

They arrested St Alphaeus and after tortures and torments they shackled him together with St Zacchaeus. They threw the martyrs into prison for the night, where they prayed continually, supporting one another in their resolve to endure all the sufferings for the name of Christ and thereby gain eternal life. The next morning, the holy Martyrs Zacchaeus and Alphaeus were beheaded for confessing Christ.

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SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

1 comment:

George Patsourakos said...

The Holy Martyrs Zacchaeus and Adalphaeus were tortured and beheaded, because they were Christians who did not renounce Christ under torture.

They gained eternal life for their belief in Christ.