The Holy Martyrs Agape, Irene, and Chionia were sisters who lived at
the end of the third century to the beginning of the fourth century,
near the Italian city of Aquilea. They were left orphaned at an early
age.
The young women led a pious Christian life and they turned
down many offers of marriage. Their spiritual guide was the priest Xeno.
It was revealed to him in a vision that he would die very soon, and
that the holy virgins would suffer martyrdom. Also at Aquilea and having
a similar vision was the Great Martyr Anastasia (December 22), who is
called “Deliverer from Potions,” because she fearlessly visited
Christians in prison, encouraging them and healing them from potions,
poisons, and other harmful things. The Great Martyr Anastasia visited to
the sisters and urged them to endure all things for Christ. Soon what
was predicted in the vision came to pass. The priest Zeno died, and the
three virgins were arrested and brought to trial before the emperor
Diocletian (284-305).
St Chionia (“snow” in Greek) preserved the
purity of her baptism according to the words of the Prophet-King David,
“You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps. 50/51:7).
St
Irene (“peace” in Greek) preserved the peace of Christ within herself
and manifested it to others, according to the Savior’s word, “My peace I
give you” (John 14:27).
St Agape (“love” in Greek) loved God with all her heart, and her neighbor as herself (Mt.22:37-39).
Seeing
the youthful beauty of the sisters, the emperor urged them to deny
Christ and he promised to find them illustrious bridegrooms from his
entourage. The holy sisters replied that their only Bridegroom was
Christ, for Whom they were ready to suffer. The emperor demanded they
renounce Christ, but neither the elder sisters, nor the youngest, would
consent. They called the pagan gods mere idols made by human hands, and
they preached faith in the true God.
By order of Diocletian, who
was leaving for Macedonia, the holy sisters were also to be brought
there. And they brought them to the court of the governor Dulcititus.
When
he saw the beauty of the holy martyrs, he was aroused with impure
passion. He put the sisters under guard, and he told them that they
would receive their freedom if they agreed to fulfill his desires. But
the holy martyrs replied that they were prepared to die for their
Heavenly Bridegroom, Christ.
Then Dulcititus decided to have his
way by force. When the holy sisters arose at night to glorify the Lord
in prayer, Dulcititus came to the door and tried to enter, but an
invisible force prevented him. He staggered about, unable to find his
way out. The he fell down in the kitchen among the cooking utensils, the
pots and pans, and he was covered all over with soot. The servants and
the soldiers recognized him only with difficulty. When he saw himself in
a mirror, he then realized that the holy martyrs had made a fool of
him, and he decided to take his revenge on them.
At his court,
Dulcititus gave orders to strip the holy martyrs. But the soldiers were
not able to do this, no matter how much they tried. Their clothing
seemed to be stuck to the bodies of the holy virgins. During the trial
Dulcititus suddenly fell asleep, and no one could rouse him. Just as
they carried him into his house, he immediately awoke.
When they
reported everything that had happened to the emperor Diocletian, he
became angry with Dulcititus and he gave the holy virgins over to
Sisinius for trial. He began with the youngest sister, Irene. Seeing
that she remained unyielding, he sent her to prison and then attempted
to sway Sts Chionia and Agape. He also failed to make them renounce
Christ, and Sisinius ordered that Sts Agape and Chionia be burned. On
hearing the sentence, the sisters gave thanks to the Lord for their
crowns of martyrdom. In the fire, Agape and Chionia surrendered their
pure souls to the Lord.
When the fire went out, everyone saw that
the bodies of the holy martyrs and their clothing had not been scorched
by the fire, and their faces were beautiful and peaceful, as if they
were asleep. On the day following, Sisinius gave orders to bring St
Irene to court. He threatened her with the fate of her older sisters and
he urged her to renounce Christ. Then he threatened to hand her over
for defilement in a brothel. But the holy martyr answered, “Even if my
body is defiled by force, my soul will never be defiled by renouncing
Christ.”
When the soldiers of Sisinius led St Irene to the
brothel, two luminous soldiers overtook them and said, “Your master
Sisinius commands you to take this virgin to a high mountain and leave
her there, and then return to him and report to him that you have
fulfilled his command.” And the soldiers did so.
When they
reported back to Sisinius, he flew into a rage, since he had given no
such orders. The luminous soldiers were angels of God, saving the holy
martyr from defilement. Sisinius went to the mountain with a detachment
of soldiers and saw St Irene on the summit. For a long while they
searched for the way to the top, but they could not find it. Then one of
the soldiers wounded St Irene with an arrow. The martyr cried out to
Sisinius, “I mock your impotent malice, and I go my Lord Jesus Christ
pure and undefiled.” Having given thanks to the Lord, she lay down upon
the ground and surrendered her soul to God on the very day of Holy
Pascha (+ 304).
The Great Martyr Anastasia heard about the end of the holy sisters, and she buried their bodies with reverence.
Source-Oca.org
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