Saint Bucolus, Bishop of Smyrna
Bucolus was a disciple of St. John the Theologian, who consecrated him bishop of Smyrna. In Smyrna, there were few that were baptized. In the darkness of paganism, St. Bucolus shown as a bright candle. He distinguished himself with every virtue, especially meekness and humility. Before his death, Bucolus consecrated the glorious Polycarp as his successor to the espicopacy. He died peacefully and took up habitation with the Lord.
Holy Female Martyr Fausta
Fausta was martyred for Christ during the reign of Emperor Maximian between 305 A.D. - 311 A.D. By her heroism, Fausta astonished her persecutors and succeeded to convert them to Christianity: the eighty-year old pagan priest Evilasis and Maximus, the Eparch. When the judge threatened Fausta with more severe tortures, she asked him to make her an icon with the depictions of all those tortures with which he threatened her. When the icon was completed, it was shown to her and St. Fausta said: "As this icon does not feel any pain, so my body does not feel any pain from your punishments, for my soul is secure in the Lord." The judge then threw her into a vat of boiling hot water where this thirteen-year-old girl died with prayer on her lips and her soul entered Paradise.
Holy Female Martyr Dorothea
Dorothea was a prominent and beautiful maiden from Caesarea in Cappadocia. Sapricius, the administrator of the province, turned Dorothea over to the two pagan sisters Christina and Kallista in order to dissuade her from Christ. But, the opposite occurred; Dorothea succeeded to convert both sisters to the Faith of Christ. Enraged, Sapricius ordered the two sisters bound back to back and threw them into a vat of pitch and set it on fire. He then sentenced Dorothea to death. She joyfully heard the sentence and cried out: "I give thanks to You, O Soul-loving Christ, that You are leading me into Your All-holy mansions!" Theophilus, a certain nobleman who was present, laughed at these words and cried out to Dorothea: "Listen, O bride of Christ, send me apples and flowers from the pomegranate tree from the Paradise of your Bridegroom." "Indeed, I will do that," replied the martyr. When Dorothea was at the place of execution, all at once a beautiful young man appeared with three beautiful apples and three red flowers from the pomegranate. That was an angel of God and it was winter. Dorothea asked the angel to bring them to Theophilus and to tell him: "Behold, this is what you desired!" When Theophilus received the message and saw the gift, he was thoroughly frightened. For him, everything turned upside down and he, a confirmed pagan, became a Christian. He was tortured and slain for Christ and his soul entered the Paradise of the Lord Jesus soon after St. Dorothea.
Saint Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Photius was a great beacon of the Church. He was the emperor's relative and a grandson of the glorious Patriarch Tarasius. He was a vigorous protector of the Church from the authority-loving pope and other Roman distortions of the Faith. In six days he went through all the ranks from a layman to patriarch. He was consecrated patriarch on Christmas day, 857 A.D. and died in the Lord in the year 891 A.D.
Venerable Barsanuphius and the Venerable John
Both Barsanuphius and John were great ascetics, discerners and miracle-workers from Gaza. They left a famous work entitled the "Book of Answers" dealing with many questions about the spiritual life. They lived in the sixth century.
Holy Female Martyrs Martha and Mary and Their Brother Lycarion
All three were crucified for Christ and then pierced and slain with a lance.