Saints of the Day: January 9th

Eastern Rite: January 9th
Saint Polyeucte (d. A.D. 255)

Saint Polyeucte was the first martyr in the Armenian city of Meletina. He was a soldier under the emperor Decius (249-251) and he later suffered for Christ under the emperor Valerian (253-259). The saint was friend also of Nearchos, a fellow-soldier and firm Christian, but Polyeutos himself, while yet leading a virtuous life, remained a pagan.

When the persecution against Christians started up, Nearchos said to Polyeucte: "Friend, we shalt soon be separated from thee, for they wilt take me to torture, and thou alas, wilt renounce friendship with me". Polyeucte answered him, that in a dream he had seen Christ, Who took from him his garb and clothed him in another and bright attire. "From that moment, -- said he, -- I am prepared to serve the Lord Jesus Christ".

Having become ardent in spirit, Saint Polyeucte went out onto the city square, tore up the imperial edict hanging there about the duty to worship idols, and then he smashed idols from out of the hands of pagan priests carrying them.

His father-in-law, the governor Felox, to whom had been entrusted the carrying out of the imperial edict, was horrified at the deed of Saint Polyeucte and declared, that for this he had to die. "Go, make farewell with thine wife and children," -- said Felox. The wife came and with tears began to beseech her husband to renounce Christ, and his father?in-law Felox also wept. But Saint Polyeucte remained steadfast in his resolve to suffer for Christ. With joy he bent his head beneathe the sword of the executioner and was baptised in his own blood (+ 259). Soon, when the Church of Christ in the time of Equal?to-the-Apostles Constantine had triumphed throughout all the Roman empire, at Meletina there was erected a church in the name of the holy Martyr Polyeucte. Many a miracle was worked through the prayerful intercession of Saint Polyeucte. In this very church prayed fervently for the granting of a son the parents of the holy Monk Euthymios the Great (Comm. 20 January). The birth of this great luminary of Orthodoxy in the year 376 thus occurred through the help of the holy Martyr Polyeucte. His memory was also venerated by Sainted Akakios, Bishop of Meletina, a participant of the Third OEcumenical Council and a great proponent of the Ecumenical Truth. As in the East, so also in the West, the holy Martyr Polyeucte venerated as a patron saint of vows and treaty agreements.

© 1999 by translator Fr. S. Janos


Roman Rite: January 9th
Saint Andrian of Canterbury (d. A.D. 710)

Though St. Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury, England, Pope St. Vitalian accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian accepted, but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in Canterbury.

Born in Africa, Adrian was serving as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of Canterbury appointed him abbot of the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills, the facility became one of the most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and Latin and spoke Latin as well as their own native languages.

Adrian taught at the school for 40 years. He died there, probably in the year 710, and was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word spread, people flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had it that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits there.

- Source: Saint of the Day
Lives, Lessons and Feast
By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.