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| Sts. Gorgonios and Peter the Martyrs (Feast Day - December 28) |
Verses
The sea hides Gorgonios and Peter,
But their memory is not hidden with time.
But their memory is not hidden with time.
Among the Holy Martyrs who escaped being burnt alive in the church at Nicomedia that killed 20,000 were Saints Gorgonios and Peter. They had been imprisoned with the Holy Martyr Indes, and all three received the same blessed martyric end. They were all cast into the sea with a millstone around their necks, and in this way departed to the Lord.
When Saint Domna heard that her eunuch and friend Indes had been submerged in the sea, she came down to the city from the mountain where she hid, dressed as a man. When she was near the sea, some fishermen, thinking she was a boy because of her garments, asked if she would like to come fishing with them, as they needed help casting the nets, and in return she could keep her share of the fish. She accepted this invitation. That night they had a catch that was too big to bring onto the boat, so they dragged it to shore. In the midst of all the fish, they caught three bodies. When Domna examined the bodies, she noticed one was her beloved Indes. After weeping and kissing his relic, and giving glory to God for the precious gift. Domna, not wishing to continue fishing, was thus given her portion of the fish and the bodies were left with her on shore.
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| St. Gorgonios |
Then Domna noticed another boat coming to shore, and she asked the captain if he wanted any of the fish for free. Thinking this was strange, he replied: "By Christ, what is it that you want from us?" By this she understood he was a Christian, so she bid him come to see the relics of the holy martyrs. Enthusiastic, the captain and his crew came to shore and approached. Thinking Domna was a male, he asked her if she wanted to become a member of his crew and be as a brother in Christ to him, but she refused, saying that her desire was to soon be a martyr, and until then she wished to stay with the relics of the holy martyrs. He in turn gave her some money to buy incense and sweet smelling oils for the relics, and he left taking the fish as a gift. Domna remained at the beach in prayer, censing the sacred relics, without departing in the least. When Maximian heard of this, he dispatched his men to go and have her beheaded, then to throw her remains in the fire. In this way she also received the crown of martyrdom.
