August 9th - St. Julian anti-Iconoclast Martyr

[Weedy]

August 9th - St. Julian anti-Iconoclast Martyr

A group of ten Christians who were arrested, tortured and executed for
defending an icon of Christ in defiance of orders from Emperor Leo the
Isaurian. We know the names of three, but nothing else about them
–Julian, Marcian, and Mary

By decree of the emperor, all icons were to be confiscated from homes
and churches and then destroyed. At Constantinople from the time of
the holy Emperor Constantine the Great (324-337) there was over the
so-called "Copper Gates" a wonderworking icon of the Savior, made of
copper.

The emperor and heretical Patriarch Anastasius gave orders to seize
this icon. The gathered crowd became outraged at this sacrilege. In
the crowd was the Patrician Maria, a woman of illustrious family, who
with many others rushed to the ladder and pulled it from the wall to
keep the soldier from touching the icon. The ladder came down, and the
soldier standing on it fell to his death. This occurred on January 19,
730. The Protospatherios ("Sword-Captain") Gregory and the nun St.
Theodosia (May 29) also took part in the defense of the icon.

Learning of this, the emperor executed a multitude of the faithful,
the names of whom are known only to the Lord. The Protospatherios
Gregory also received a martyr's death. Some of the Orthodox are
known, however: Julian, Marcian, John, James, Alexius, Demetrius,
Leontius, Photius and Peter, who were locked up in prison and kept
there for about eight months, each day receiving 500 blows. In these
torments they remained alive by the power of Christ and bravely
endured their sufferings.

By order of the emperor they were burned with a red-hot iron and their
heads cut off. St. Maria the Patrician, who had not been locked up in
prison, learning about the executions, voluntarily accepted a martyr's
death. The bodies of the martyrs were buried in a coastal area near
the church of the holy Martyr Theodore, and were discovered incorrupt
139 years later .


Saint Quote:
Is not Jesus worthy of thy heart's warmest affection? If thou feelest
no very ardent love, still wish and pray to thy Blessed Saviour that
the holy fire may be kindled within thy breast. Think often that thy
Redeemer's labors and pains were endured for thee, an ungrateful
sinner. For thy sake Jesus shed His Blood and died upon a cross;
submitting to a temporal death, that thou mightest attain to life
eternal. He took upon Himself thy delinquencies, and canceled thy
outstanding debt by fastening it to His Cross. In fine, He parted with
all His precious merits to enrich thy poverty-stricken soul.
-- Ven. Blosius

Bible Quote
For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not
the same office: So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every
one members one of another. (Rom. 12:4-5)


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PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF ALL THE WORLD'S MASSES

Eternal Father we humbly offer Thee our poor presence
and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to
the end of the world at all the Masses that ever have or
ever will be prayed. We offer Thee all the pains, suffering,
prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in
union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth.
May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His blood and
wounds and agony save us, through the sorrowful and
Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen!

(This prayer should be prayed daily, and Made known.)

Dear St. Philomena pray for us for that purity of mind and
heart which lead to the Perfect Love of God!