Holy Martyr Myron the Presbyter (+250) — August 17 – Old Style / August 30 – New Style

On this day, August 17 according to the Julian Calendar (August 30 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyr Myron the Presbyter. Saint Myron of Achaia in Greece was a presbyter who lived in the third century and suffered for Christ in the year 250, during the reign of the emperor Decius (249-251). In his ordinary manner he was exceedingly humble and merciful, yet he showed remarkable firmness and courage whenever the protection of his spiritual children was at stake.

Once, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the blessed father was celebrating the divine services. Suddenly the local governor Antipater burst into the church together with his soldiers, to seize those at prayer and hand them over to the executioners. Seeing this, Myron came to the defense of his flock and boldly rebuked the ruler for his cruelty.

For this, terrible torments were brought upon him: he was hung up and torn with iron hooks, and then cast into a red-hot furnace. The flame that burst out of the furnace consumed a hundred and fifty men standing nearby, while the holy father himself, by the will of God, remained unharmed. Then the governor demanded that the martyr worship the idols, and, receiving a firm refusal in answer, he gave orders that strips be cut from the saint’s skin in the manner of a belt. The sufferer took up one of these strips and flung it into the face of his tormentor.

Enraged, Antipater threw the flayed lamb of Christ to the beasts to be torn apart, but the animals would not approach the chosen one of the Lord. Maddened and driven to despair by the sense of his own powerlessness, the governor ended his life by his own hand. Saint Myron was taken to the city of Cyzicus, and there he was beheaded with the sword (+250).