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Commemorated on June 25
The Virgin-Martyr
Febronia suffered during the reign of Diocletian (284-305). She was raised
at a monastery in the city of Sivapolis (Assyria region). The head of the
women's monastery was the hegumenia Brienna, the aunt of Saint Febronia, and
being concerned about the salvation of Saint Febronia, she assigned her a
stricter form of life than the other nuns. According to their monastic
ustav-rule, on Fridays the sisters left aside their other duties and spent the
whole day at prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture, and usually the
hegumenia appointed the reading to Saint Febronia.
News about her pious
life spread throughout the city. The illustrious young widow Hieria, a pagan,
began to visit her, and under the influence of her guidance and prayer she
accepted holy Baptism, bringing then to the Christian faith her parents and
kinsfolk.
Diocletian dispatched
to Assyria for the destruction of Christians a detachment of soldiers under the
command of Lysimachus, Selenus and Primus. Selenos, the uncle of Lysimachus,
was noted for his fierce attitude against Christians, but Lysimachus was of a
different frame of mind from him, since his mother had sought to inspire love
for the Christian faith in her son, and she had died a Christian. And
Lysimachus had discussed with his kinsman Primus how far possible it would be
to deliver Christians from the hands of the torturer. When the detachment of
soldiers approached the convent, its inhabitants hid. There remained only the
hegumenia Brienna, her helper Thomaida and Saint Febronia, who at the time was
seriously ill. It sorrowed the hegumenia terribly, that her niece would fall
into the hands of the torturers, possibly to defile her, and she prayed
fervently that the Lord would preserve her and strengthen her in the confession
of Christ the Saviour. Selenus gave orders to bring him all the nuns of the
convent. Primus with the detachment of soldiers found no one, except the two
old women and Saint Febronia. He regretted that they had not hidden, and he
suggested to the nuns to be gone. But the nuns decided not to quit the place of
their labours and they entrusted themselves to the will of the Lord.
Primus told
Lysimachus about the particular beauty of Saint Febronia and advised him to
take her for himself in marriage. Lysimachus answered, that he did not wish to
seduce a virgin dedicated to God, and he asked Primus to hide the other nuns
somewhere, so that they would not fall into the hands of Selenus. One of the
soldiers overheard the conversation and told Selenus. They led Saint Febronia
off to the military commander with her hands bound and a chain on her neck.
Selenus urged her to recant from the faith in Christ and he promised her
honours, rewards, and marriage with Lysimachus. The holy virgin firmly and
fearlessly answered, that she had the Immortal Bridegroom and she would not
exchange Him for some worldly blessing. Selenus subjected her to fierce
torture. The saint prayed: "My Saviour, do not abandon me in this terrible
hour!" They beat the martyress for a long time, and blood from her
handcuffs flowed from the wounds. In order to intensify the suffering of Saint
Febronia, they tied her to a tree and set a fire under it. The tortures were so
inhuman, that the people began to shout, urging a stop to the torture since
there was no confession of guilt by the girl. But Selenus continued to mock and
jeer at the martyress. Saint Febronia became silent. Because of weakness she
was unable to utter a word. In a rage Selenus gave orders to tear out her
tongue, smash her teeth, and finally, to cut off both hands and legs. The
people were unable to bear such an horrid spectacle and they left the scene of
the torture, cursing Diocletian and his gods.
Among the crowd was
the Nun Thomaida, who afterwards recorded in detail the martyr's act of Saint
Febronia, and also her student Hieria. She came forth out of the crowd and in
the hearing of all reproached Selenus for his boundless cruelty. He gave orders
to arrest her, but learning that Hieria was of illustrious standing whom he
could not readily subject to torture, he stopped her, saying: "By thy speech
thou hast brought on Febronia yet greater torment". Finally, they beheaded
the holy Martyress Febronia.
Departing the place
of execution, Lysimachus wept and withdrew to his quarters. Selenus made ready
to eat, but he was not able to take food, and went off to the quiet of his own
chambers. Suddenly, looking upwards, he all at once lost his speech, bellowed
like an ox, fell down, and having struck a marble column, he cracked his head
and there he died. When Lysimachus learned of this, he said: "O Great God
of the Christians, Who art worthy of respect, in that innocent blood hath been
revenged!" He prepared a coffin, placed in it the mutilated body of the
martyress and took it to the convent. Hegumenia Brienna fell senseless, seeing
the mutilated remains of Saint Febronia. By evening time she returned to her
senses and gave orders to open the convent gates, so that all would be able to
come and venerate the holy martyress and glorify God – having given her such
endurance in suffering for Christ the Saviour. Lysimachus and Primus thereupon
renounced their idol-worship, and accepted both Baptism and monasticism. Hieria
gave her wealth to the convent and petitioned hegumenia Brienna to accept her
at the convent in place of Saint Febronia.
Every year, on the
day of the martyress death of Saint Febronia there was celebrated at the
convent a solemn feast. During the time of the all-night vigil the monastic
sisters always saw Saint Febronia, who occupied her usual place in church. From
the relics of Saint Febronia occurred numerous miracles and healings. The Life
of Saint Febronia was recorded by the Nun Thomaida, an eye-witness to her
deeds.
In the year 363 the
relics of Saint Febronia were transferred to Constantinople.
Soon after the death
of Saint Febronia, Saint James the Bishop of Niziba (Comm. 13 January) built a
church and transferred into it part of the relics of the holy martyress.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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