Orthodox Calendar October 26
Holy and Glorious Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica
The Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica was the son of a Roman proconsul in Thessalonica.
Three centuries had elapsed and Roman paganism, spiritually shattered and defeated by the multitude of martyrs and confessors of the Savior, intensified its persecutions. The parents of Saint Demetrius were secretly Christians, and he was baptized and raised in the Christian Faith in a secret church in his father’s home.
By the time Demetrius had reached maturity and his father had died, the emperor Galerius Maximian had ascended the throne (305). Maximian, confident in Demetrius’ education as well as his administrative and military abilities, appointed him to his father’s position as proconsul of the Thessalonica district.
The main tasks of this young commander were to defend the city from barbarians and to eradicate Christianity. The emperor’s policy regarding Christians was expressed simply, “Put to death anyone who calls on the name of Christ.” The emperor did not suspect that by appointing Demetrius he had provided a way for him to lead many people to Christ.
Accepting the appointment, Demetrius returned to Thessalonica and immediately confessed and glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of persecuting and executing Christians, he began to teach the Christian Faith openly to the inhabitants of the city and to overthrow pagan customs and idolatry.
The compiler of his Life, Saint Simeon Metaphrastes (November 9), says that because of his teaching zeal he became “a second Apostle Paul” for Thessalonica, particularly since “the Apostle to the Gentiles” once founded at this city the first community of believers (1 Thess. and 2 Thess.).
The Lord also destined Saint Demetrius to follow the holy Apostle Paul as a martyr. When Maximian learned that the newly-appointed proconsul was a Christian, and that he had converted many Roman subjects to Christianity, the rage of the emperor knew no bounds. Returning from a campaign in the Black Sea region, the emperor decided to lead his army through Thessalonica, determined to massacre the Christians.
Learning of this, Saint Demetrius ordered his faithful servant Lupus to distribute his wealth to the poor saying, “Distribute my earthly riches among them, for we shall seek heavenly riches for ourselves.” He began to pray and fast, preparing himself for martyrdom.
When the emperor came into the city, he summoned Demetrius, who boldly confessed himself a Christian and denounced the falsehood and futility of Roman polytheism. Maximian gave orders to lock up the confessor in prison. An angel appeared to him, comforting and encouraging him.
Meanwhile the emperor amused himself by staging games in the circus. His champion was a German by the name of Lyaeos. He challenged Christians to wrestle with him on a platform built over the upturned spears of the victorious soldiers.
A brave Christian named Nestor went to the prison to his advisor Demetrius and requested a blessing to fight the barbarian. With the blessing and prayers of Demetrius, Nestor prevailed over the fierce German and hurled him from the platform onto the spears of the soldiers, just as the murderous pagan would have done with the Christian.
The enraged commander ordered the execution of the holy Martyr Nestor (October 27) and sent a guard to the prison to kill Saint Demetrius.
At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the saint’s underground prison and ran him through with lances. His faithful servant, Saint Lupus, gathered up the blood-soaked garment of Saint Demetrius, and he took the imperial ring from his finger, a symbol of his high status, and dipped it in the blood. With the ring and other holy things sanctified by the blood of Saint Demetrius, Saint Lupus began to heal the infirm. The emperor issued orders to arrest and kill him.
The body of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius was cast out for wild animals to devour, but the Christians took it and secretly buried it in the earth.
During the reign of Saint Constantine (306-337), a church was built over the grave of Saint Demetrius. A hundred years later, during the construction of a majestic new church on the old spot, the incorrupt relics of the holy martyr were uncovered. Since the seventh century a miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh has been found beneath the crypt of the Great Martyr Demetrius, so he is called “the Myrrh-gusher.”
Several times, those venerating the holy wonderworker tried to bring his holy relics, or a part of them, to Constantinople. Invariably, Saint Demetrius made it clear that he would not permit anyone to remove even a portion of his relics.
Saint Demetrius is regarded as a protector of the young, and is also invoked by those struggling with lustful temptations.
Troparion, Tone 3:
The entire world has found you to be a great champion in times of peril; for you put the heathen to flight, O victorious one. As you brought to naught the boasts of Lyaeus, and gave courage to Nestor in the stadium, in the same way, O Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, entreat Christ God, that He grant us great mercy.
The Synaxis of the Holy Military Martyrs
On 26 October, the Romanian Orthodox Church has appointed a day for the veneration of all the Holy Military Martyrs, who are the protectors of the Romanian Armed Forces and examples of unwavering faith in Christ and of holy living.
Among them, we first mention the Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion (16 October), who was present at the Crucifixion and death of the Lord Jesus on the Cross. When he saw the earthquake and the darkening of the sun, he said: “Truly this was the Son of God!” Longinus was later baptised and preached the Gospel in Cappadocia, where he suffered martyrdom.
Among the Holy Military Martyrs of the period of persecutions, the most widely venerated is the Great Martyr George, the Trophy-Bearer (23 April), who suffered under Emperor Diocletian and received the crown of martyrdom in 303. Since the 15th century, Saint George has been regarded as the defender of the army of Moldavia and remains to this day the protector of the Land Forces of the Romanian Armed Forces.
The Great Martyr Demetrius, the Myrrh-Streamer, celebrated on this day (26 October), confessed the Christian faith and received the crown of martyrdom, together with his disciples, Saints Nestor and Lupus of Thessalonica (27 October), in 306.
The Great Martyrs Theodore Tyro (17 February) and Theodore Stratelates (8 February) served in the army, the former as a recruit (tyro) and the latter as a general (stratelates), and suffered for Christ. The former was martyred during the reign of Emperor Galerius Maximian in 304, while the latter suffered under Emperor Licinius in 319. Saint Theodore Tyro was depicted alongside Saint George on the banner of Tudor Vladimirescu’s pandur troops.
The Great Martyr Procopius (8 July), a commander of 200 soldiers, was called to the faith through a vision of the sign of the Cross. He suffered martyrdom in 303 in Caesarea Maritima, performing many miracles and bringing many people to Christ. Moldavian chroniclers recount that the Great Martyrs George, Demetrius and Procopius appeared to strengthen the Christian army in battle during the reign of Saint Voivode Stephen the Great. In gratitude, he built a church in honour of each of them.
The Great Martyr Andrew Stratelates (19 August), a general who brought 2,593 soldiers to the Christian faith, suffered martyrdom alongside them during the reign of Emperor Maximian, between 303 and 305.
The Great Martyr Eustathius (20 September), a general in the army of Emperor Trajan, was called to the Christian faith in a miraculous manner. While hunting, he saw the Cross with the Saviour Christ crucified between the antlers of a stag. He was baptised together with his family and suffered martyrdom by order of Emperor Hadrian in 118.
The Great Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus (7 October), high-ranking officers in the Roman army, were subjected to humiliation and torture by order of Emperor Maximian between 290 and 303. They received the crown of martyrdom in Syria. Some of their holy relics are now kept at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Craiova and at the church of Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest.
The Great Martyr Artemius (20 October) was a general in the army of Saint Emperor Constantine the Great. He witnessed the manifestation of the Holy Cross and the Emperor’s conversion, as well as Saint Helena’s discovery of the Lord’s Cross in Jerusalem. He suffered for Christ under Emperor Julian the Apostate in 362.
The Great Martyr Menas (11 November), after serving as a soldier in Phrygia, withdrew into the wilderness for five years. He subsequently confessed the Christian faith publicly, for which he was tortured and beheaded in 309. Numerous miracles have been performed through his holy relics.
The Great Martyr Mercurius (25 November) was the son of a Christian soldier from Scythia. Having distinguished himself through his bravery, he became a general at the age of 25. He confessed Christ and suffered martyrdom in Caesarea of Cappadocia during the reign of Emperor Valerian (253–259).
The Holy Martyr Sebastian (18 December), who was of senatorial rank, carried out extensive missionary work among his fellow soldiers and strengthened persecuted Christians. For this reason, by order of the pagan emperors Diocletian and Maximian, he was put to death by being shot with arrows in 287.
Alongside these military saints venerated throughout the Christian world, we also remember the Daco-Roman soldier martyrs: Saints Julius the Veteran (27 May) and Hesychius (15 June) of Durostorum (present-day Silistra), who were martyred in 298 together with other Christian soldiers; Saint Dasius (20 November), who suffered in the same city around 300–305; and the Great Martyr Nicetas (15 September), who lived north of the Danube and was martyred by the pagan Goths in 372.
Together with these saints, we honour all known and unknown military saints who embraced the Christian faith, attained holiness by fulfilling the commandments of the Gospel, and bore courageous witness to Christ, even at the cost of torture and death. They are worthy examples for all the faithful, but especially for members of the military and all those serving in the armed forces. Their lives demonstrate that life in Christ can reach its fulfilment in those who have chosen this profession and can bear abundant spiritual fruit.
The Romanian Orthodox Church, which prays every day during the divine services for the Christ-loving army, added the Synaxis of the Holy Military Martyrs to the Orthodox Calendar in 2026. Thus, on 26 October, alongside the Great Martyr Demetrius, all the military saints who suffered for the true faith are venerated. This observance serves as the culmination of the celebrations marking Romanian Armed Forces Day (25 October) and as a testimony to the cooperation between the Church and the Armed Forces in preserving the identity and virtues of the Romanian Orthodox people.
Through the prayers of all the Holy Military Martyrs, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
