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The Monk Martyr Lucian, Presbyter of Antioch Commemorated on October 15 The Monk Martyr
Lucian, Presbyter of Antioch, was born in the Syrian city of Samosata. At
12 years of age he was left orphaned. Lucian distributed his possessions to the
poor, and went to the city of Edessa to the confessor Makarios, under the
guidance of whom he diligently read Holy Scripture and learned the ascetic
life. For his pious and zealous spreading of Christianity amongst the Jews and
pagans, Lucian was made presbyter. At Antioch Saint Lucian opened a school,
where there gathered many students whom he instructed in book wisdom. Saint
Lucian occupied himself with teaching work, and he corrected the text of Holy
Scripture, having been corrupted by copyists and heretics. (The entire Greek
text of the Bible corrected by him was hidden away in a wall during the time of
his confessor's deed, and it was found during the time of Saint Constantine the
Great). During the persecution of Diocletian, Saint Lucian was arrested, having
been informed on by heretics, and he was dispatched to prison in Nicomedia,
where over the course of 9 years he encouraged Christians together with him in
the confessor's deed, urging them not to fear tortures and death. © 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. |
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