June 6, 2017

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Gelasios

St. Gelasios the Martyr (Feast Day - June 6)

Verses

You laughed with blessed laughter blessed one,
And were beheaded right-minded O Gelasios.

The blessed Martyr of Christ Gelasios, when a persecution was set in motion by the idolaters against the Christians, became inflamed with divine zeal, and distributed all his belongings to the poor, dressed himself in a white garment, and went to the Martyrs of Christ. Seeing how they were being punished for Christ with various torments, he kissed their wounds, asked for their prayers, and urged them to remain brave in their martyric struggle.

On account of this he was arrested by the idolaters, who presented him before the governor. He examined the Martyr, who confessed that Christ was the true God, and the idols he proclaimed deaf and senseless. The governor in turn considered him worthless and good for nothing. After this, he had him lightly flogged, and finally ordered for the Saint to be beheaded, thus receiving from the Lord the unfading crown of martyrdom.