December 31st – Saint Zoticus of Constantinople the Hieromartyr

[Weedy]

December 31st – Saint Zoticus of Constantinople the Hieromartyr
Also known as Feeder of Orphans, Zotico

4th v.
Protector of Orphans, an illustrious and rich Roman in the service of
St. Constantine the Great (306-337); St. Constantine's son,
Constantius (337-361), an adherent of the Arian heresy martyred the
saint

When the emperor transferred the capital from Rome to Constantinople,
Zoticus also moved there. Soon, however, spurning worldly honors,
Zoticus was ordained to the holy priesthood, and he began to provide
for the destitute and orphaned in his own home. Then, receiving funds
from St. Constantine, he built a place of treatment for the sick, a
shelter for the homeless, where he took in those afflicted with
leprosy, rescuing them from the soldiers, who had been ordered to
drown them in the sea.

When St. Constantine's son, Constantius (337-361), an adherent of the
Arian heresy, succeeded his father, St. Zoticus was accused of
receiving a large sum of money from the deceased emperor. When asked
about this, Zoticus showed the emperor the homeless and sick home he
had built. Constantius became angry, for he thought that Zoticus had
purchased jewels with the money received from his father, and he
wanted them back.

He ordered St. Zoticus to be tied to wild mules, which dragged the
saint over the stones. His whole body was lacerated, and the saint
gave up his soul to God. A stream of pure water sprang forth at the
place of his death, from which many received healing.


Saint Quote:
In this holy abandonment springs up that beautiful freedom of spirit
which the perfect possess, and in which there is found all the
happiness that can be desired in this life; for in fearing nothing,
and seeking and desiring nothing of the things of the world, they
possess all.
--St. Theresa

Bible Quote:
3 “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the
Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of
the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the
Lord Of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can
stand when he appears?
“For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of
Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right
offerings to the Lord. [Malachi 3:1-3] RSVCE


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O Dearest Infant
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

O dearest Infant,
tell me what You came on earth to do.
Tell me whom You are seeking.
Ah, yes, I now understand…
You have come to die for me, a lost sheep,
in order that I may no more
hide from You but love You.
O Jesus, my treasure,
my life, my love, my all,
if I do not love You,
then whom shall I love?
Where can I find a mother or father,
a friend, or a spouse more loving than You?
And who has ever loved me more than You have?
I am sorry that I have lived so many years in this world
and yet still love You so little,
even having offended You
and sometimes forgotten You.
Amen