Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

“ And having said this our Lord Jesus Christ said unto him, “Blessed art thou, O My chosen one Sinoda, and excellence shall be unto thee for My sake, because thou hast performed My good pleasure all the days of thy life. And now, come with Me so that I may make thee to rest in the joy which is for ever.” And when He had said this unto him, Sinoda delivered up his soul into the hand of God, and he died in peace. Salutation to Abba Sinoda, to whom was given the apparel of Elijah the prophet. ”

“ And John bowed before him again, and asked the abbot to make him a monk. And John having urged him, the abbot shaved his head, and arrayed him in the holy garb of the monastic life. And John devoted himself to the ascetic life, and he fought many fights, and he fasted very long fasts, until his body dried up, and by reason of his excessive fasting, and prayer, and prostrations, and ceaseless vigils, his bones appeared from under his skin. ”

“ And when this saint saw him, her heart waxed hot, because of her love of God, and she was sorry for the men. And she cursed the Emperor Diocletian and his unclean idols, and she also cursed that governor, saying, “O thou whose heart is like a stone, and who art merciless, wilt thou not have compassion on these holy men? Art thou not afraid that their God will destroy thee?” When Diocletian heard of this he commanded his soldiers to fetch her, and he questioned her about her Faith, and she denied not, but confessed before him that she was a Christian. ”

“ And I also tell thee that there was a certain poor man, who was the son of the Emperor of Rome, who went forth from his father’s house suddenly, without taking anything whatsoever with him, except a staff. And I knew that man very well. And he traveled about from one desert to another, and from one monastery to another; whether he is dead I know not, or whether he is alive, I know not. And there was another poor man, the son of a king, and he kept vigil by day and by night, and dressed in sackcloth, and he ate and drank only on Sabbath days ”

“ And as she was standing up in the cauldron and praying, a dove came down from heaven, and he had in his beak a crown of gold, and he loosed her fetters, and dipped her in the water thrice, in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit ”

“ O blessed woman, thou art the vineyard, the beautiful one wherefrom grew the grapes of salvation. Blessed art thou, O Upper Chamber, for thou didst carry in thy womb the Lamb of God, and the Lord of lords. ”

“ And the apostle said unto those men who were there, “Do ye hear what this woman saith? This is not the only punishment which God hath in store for the wicked, but there is worse than this. And turn ye to God, and forsake the working of sin, and the evil mind, and dwell in Faith, and with a meek spirit and with holiness, and ye shall receive grace from Him.” And all the people believed in God, and they collected much gold in order that he might give alms to the poor, for the people was wont to give alms. ”

“ Hamle 1 (July 8) On this day the holy virgin Cephronia became a martyr. This fighter of the spiritual fight gave herself to our Lord Jesus Christ. She was the sister of the abbess of a nunnery (wherein there were fifty virgins, now the nunnery lay between two rivers) whose name was ‘Ariana, and she brought her up in the fear of God, and taught her to read the Divine Books. And she fought a good fight, and devoted herself to God, and she fasted for two days at a time, and she prayed many prayers. ”

“ And when, at the time of the Crucifixion, he saw that the sun became dark, and that the moon became like blood, and that the curtain of the Temple was rent, and that the rocks were split open, and that the dead rose up, his wonder was greatly increased; now he had heard and seen the miracles which our Lord performed from His Birth to His Crucifixion. And when the righteous Joseph took the body of our Lord and Redeemer, and laid it in the cave, this saint was standing there with the guards when they sealed the tomb. ”

“ And as Saul and those who were with him were journeying along the road from the city of Jerusalem to the city of Damascus, a light from heaven shone upon him, and he fell upon his face on the ground, and he heard a voice which said unto him, “Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute Me? It is bad for thee to kick against sharp goads.” ”