Full of Grace and Truth: St. Luke the New Righteous Martyr of Mytilene

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

St. Luke the New Righteous Martyr of Mytilene

St. Luke the New Righteous Martyr of Mytilene - Commemorated on March 23rd (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/agios-loukas-neomartys-en-mytilini.jpg)

He was born in Adrianoupolis. At six years of age he lost his father, and his mother, unable to handle the difficulties in raising the small Luke, entrusted him to a merchant from Zagora of Peliou, who traveled with him to Russia and Constantinople. Thus Luke was able to visit far awat lands. At a young age, he fought with a Turkish boy, and because of this he was seized by the Turks and forced him to become a muslim. He fled from the house of the Turk where he was staying, and met with his adopted father, who sent him to Smyrna. There near a spiritual father he confessed his passion and with tears in his eyes, he was told to go to the Holy Mountain to flee from further dangers. In the Garden of the Panagia, he met righteous elders, such as Fr. Ananias of St. Anna and Elder Bessarion, who strengthened him in faith and love towards Christ, His desire to cleanse the weight of his sin of denying Christ, caused him to seek a way to leave the Holy Mountain [with the blessing and spiritual preparation of his spiritual father for martyrdom], which occurred when a friend of Elder Bessarion was preparing to leave Mount Athos and head to Tenedo and Mytilene. In Pamphila where the righteous Luke arrived, he came to know the priests at the church of St. Barbara, Frs. Gregory and Parthenios. After fervent supplications and meditation on the martyrdom of St. Theodore (http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/02/holy-neomartyr-st-theodore-byzantine.html), who had been martyred seven years before in Mytilene, St. Luke appeared before Nazer the Aga of Mytilene, and with bravery of soul sought to bear witness as a Christian. He was imprisoned and martyred by hanging on March 23rd 1802.
(amateur translation of text from: http://www.immyt.net/saints/martyrs9.htm; more complete biography in Greek available here: http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/%ce%bf-%ce%ac%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%bf%cf%82-%ce%bd%ce%b5%ce%bf%ce%bc%ce%ac%cf%81%cf%84%cf%85%cf%82-%ce%bb%ce%bf%cf%85%ce%ba%ce%ac%cf%82/)

St. Luke the New Righteous Martyr of Mytilene (http://www.immyt.net/saints/martyrs9.htm)

ΤΗ ΚΓ΄ (23η) ΤΟΥ ΜΗΝΟΣ ΜΑΡΤΙΟΥ

Μνήμη τοῦ Νεομάρτυρος Ἁγίου Λουκᾶ +1802.

Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος δ΄. Ὁ ὑψωθείς ἐν τῶ Σταυρῶ.

Ἀσκητικῶς προγυμνασθείς ἐν τῶ Ἄθω, τάς νοητάς τῶν δυσμενῶν παρατάξεις, τῆ πανοπλία ὤλεσας παμμάκαρ τοῦ Σταυροῦ, αὔθις δέ πρός ἄθλησιν, ἀνδρικῶς ἀπεδύσω, κτείνας τούς τῆς πίστεως αἰσθητούς πολεμίους. Ὁσιομάρτυς ξίφει νοητῶ, διό ἐστέφθης, Λουκᾶ διττοῖς στέμμασιν.

(http://stratisandriotis.blogspot.com/2009/05/blog-post_5072.html)

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone (amateur translation)

You were trained beforehand in asceticism on Athos, and trampled upon the arrows of the enemy, and put on the Cross as armor, O most-blessed one, heading towards the struggle, enduring manfully, and put to death those who war against the faith. O Righteous Martyr Luke, by the sword you were noetically crowned with dual garlands.

Apolytikion for a Male Martyr in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

(http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=190)