Holy Martyr John Vladimir, King of Serbia (+ 1015)

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

He came of a princely family from Zahumlje. His grandfather was named Hvalimir and his father Petrislav. He was a wise ruler; merciful, meek, chaste and courageous. He was fervent in prayer and a devoted builder and benefactor of churches. But he had major battles to fight, both inside and outside his realm; internally with heretics and Bogomils, and externally with invaders, with King Samuel and the Emperor Basil.

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Basiliskos, Nephew of Saint Theodore the Tiro

St. Basiliskos of Comana (Feast Day - May 22)

Verses

Basiliskos delivered his head to beheading,
Trampling on the head of the noetic basilisk.
On the twenty-second Basiliskos suffered the sword.

During the reign of Emperor Maximian (286-305), the governor Agrippa was sent to the East against the Christians, to replace the governor Asklipiodotos, and having arrived in Comana of Cappadocia, he interrogated and punished the Christians. At that time Saint Basiliskos was there, who was from a village of the Black Sea in Amasea called Choumiala, and was the nephew of Saint Theodore the Tiro. He had beforehand struggled in martyrdom with Eutropios and Kleonikos,* the fellow soldiers of his uncle Saint Theodore. Because their lives came to a martyric end, Basiliskos remained shut in prison, which is why he desired to end his path in martyrdom. Wherefore he was made worthy of manifestations from God, who ordered him to bid farewell to his relatives, and then go to Comana in Cappadocia to be martyred there. The Saint therefore was set free from prison by soldiers, who accompanied him to his household. Having bid farewell to his relatives, and catechized them in the words of piety, he remained there with them. Because the Saint was sought for in the prison and could not be found, the governor became enraged. He thus ordered that wherever he was to be found, he was to be bound by two chains and have iron shoes with nails in them to be placed on his feet, and to be brought to trial with much force.

Holy New Hieromartyr Zacharias of Prousa (+ 1802)

St. Zacharias the Hieromartyr of Prousa (Feast Day - May 22)

Zacharias was from Prousa in Asia Minor, where he served as a monastic priest. One day, under the influence of alcohol, he denied his faith in Christ and accepted Islam. When he sobered up from his drunken stupor, Zacharias realized what he had done, and he grieved and repented with bitter tears.

Since his denial was done publicly and his repentance was done privately, he wanted to make known that he was indeed a Christian, and therefore resolved to confess Christ before all. However, Zacharias was an alcoholic, so when he drank again, his zeal was consumed and it did not allow him to think straight. He feared the torture that would come his way as well.

Saints and Feasts of May 22

On the twenty-second Basiliskos suffered the sword.

Holy Martyr Basiliskos at Comana

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Basiliskos, Nephew of Saint Theodore the Tiro

Commemoration of the Second Holy and 
Ecumenical Synod

Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Synod in 381

Holy Martyr Sophia the Physician

Saint Sophia the Martyr and Physician

Holy Martyr John Vladimir, 

King of Serbia and Wonderworker

Holy Martyr John Vladimir, King of Serbia (+ 1015)

Holy Martyrs Castus and Aimilius of Carthage

Holy Martyrs Castus and Aimilius of Carthage

Venerable Kali

Saint Kali the Philanthropist

Righteous Melchizedek, King of Salem

Homily on Melchizedek, the King and Priest

Holy New Hieromartyr Zacharias of Prousa

Holy New Hieromartyr Zacharias of Prousa (+ 1802)

Holy New Martyr Paul of Peloponnesos

Holy New Martyr Paul of Peloponnesos (+ 1818)

The Repentance of Constantine the Great

By Archimandrite Meletios Stathis

The very name of Constantine is enough to move the heart of any Greek Christian, not only today, but for very many years now, because it is associated with the legends of the nation, with “once again, with the passing of years and in good time, it will be ours again.”[1] It moves us because the first to bear the name Constantine, was not merely one of the greatest men in world history, but he was something more besides: a saint.