During the reign of Emperor Trajan, there lived in Rome a general named Placidas. He came from a noble family and had great wealth. His bravery in war was so famous that the very name of Placida made his enemies tremble. Even at the time when Emperor Titus was fighting in the land of Judea, Placidas was an outstanding Roman commander and was distinguished by undaunted courage in all battles.
By faith, Placidas was an idolater, but in his life he did many good, Christian deeds: he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, helped the needy and freed many from bonds and prison. He sincerely rejoiced if he had to help someone in trouble and sorrow, and even rejoiced more than his glorious victories over his enemies. Like Cornelius once, who is described in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10), Placidas achieved complete perfection in all good deeds, but did not yet have holy faith in our Lord Jesus Christ - that faith without which all good deeds are dead (James 2:17). Placis had a wife, as virtuous as himself, and two sons. Placidas was very kind and merciful to everyone; All he lacked was knowledge of the One True God, Whom he, not yet knowing, already revered with his good deeds. But the merciful, Lover of mankind, the Lord, desires salvation for everyone and looks upon those who do good: " In every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him."(Acts 10:35). He did not despise this virtuous man, did not allow him to perish in the darkness of idolatry's delusion, and He Himself deigned to open the path to salvation for him.
One day, Placidas, as usual, went hunting with his soldiers and servants. Having met a herd of deer, he arranged the riders and began to chase the deer. Soon he noticed that one, the largest of them, had separated from the herd. Leaving his warriors, Placidas and a small retinue chased the deer into the desert. Placida's companions soon became exhausted and remained far behind him. Placidas, having a stronger and faster horse, continued the chase alone until the deer ran up a high cliff. Placidas stopped at the foot of the cliff, and, looking at the deer, began to think about how to catch it. At this time, the All-Good God, who leads people to salvation through various means and by destinies known to Him alone guides them to the path of truth, caught the fisher himself, appearing to Placis, as he once did to the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:3-6). Continuing to look at the deer, Placidas saw a shining cross between its antlers, and on the cross the likeness of the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us. Amazed by this wonderful vision, the governor suddenly heard a voice saying:
- Why are you persecuting Me, Placida?
And along with this Divine voice, fear instantly attacked Placida: having fallen from his horse, Placida lay on the ground as if dead. Having barely recovered from his fear, he asked:
- Who are you, Lord, speaking to me?
And the Lord said to him:
“I am Jesus Christ, God, who became incarnate for the salvation of people and endured free suffering and death on the cross, Whom you, without knowing it, worship. Your good deeds and abundant alms reached Me, and I desired to save you. And so I appeared here to catch you in the knowledge of Me and join you to My faithful servants. For I do not want a person who does righteous deeds to perish in the snares of the enemy.
Rising from the ground and no longer seeing anyone in front of him, Placidas said:
– Now I believe, Lord, that You are the God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all creatures. From now on, I worship You alone, and I don’t know any other God besides You. I pray to You, Lord, teach me what should I do?
- Go to a Christian priest, receive baptism from him, and he will guide you to salvation.
Filled with joy and tenderness, Placidas fell to the ground in tears and bowed to the Lord, who honored him with His appearance. He lamented that until now he did not know the truth and did not know the true God, and at the same time he rejoiced in spirit that he had been granted such grace, which revealed to him the knowledge of the truth and set him on the right path. Mounting his horse again, he returned to his companions, but, keeping his great joy secret, he did not tell anyone what had happened to him. When he returned home from the hunt, he called his wife away and privately told her everything that he had seen and heard. His wife, in turn, told him:
“Last night I heard someone say these words to me: you, your husband and your sons will come to Me tomorrow and know Me, Jesus Christ, the true God, who sends salvation to those who love Me.” “Let’s not delay, let’s do immediately what we’ve been commanded.”
Night has come. Placidas sent to look for where the Christian priest lived. Having learned where his house was, Placidas took with him his wife, children and some of his faithful servants, and went to a priest named John. Having come to him, they told the priest in detail about the appearance of the Lord and asked to baptize them. Having listened to them, the priest glorified God, who chooses from among the pagans those pleasing to Him, and, having taught them the holy faith, revealed to them all the commandments of God. Then he said a prayer and baptized them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And at holy baptism they were given names: Placis - Eustathius, his wife - Theopistia, and their sons - Agapius and Theopist. After baptism, the priest communed them with the Divine Mysteries and sent them away in peace, saying to them:
– May God, who enlightened you with the light of His knowledge and called you to the inheritance of eternal life, always be with you! When you are rewarded with the sight of God in that life, remember me, your spiritual father.
Thus, having been reborn in holy baptism, they returned to their home, filled with inexpressible joy. Divine grace illuminated their souls with a quiet light and filled their hearts with such bliss that it seemed to them as if they were in heaven and not on earth.
The next day, Eustathius, mounting a horse and taking with him some servants, went as if on a hunt to the very place where the Lord appeared to him, in order to give Him thanks for His inscrutable gifts. Arriving at that place, he sent servants to look for prey. He himself, getting off his horse, fell face down on the ground and prayed with tears and thanked the Lord for His ineffable mercy, that He deigned to enlighten him with the light of faith. In his prayer, he entrusted himself to his Lord, surrendering himself in everything to His good and perfect will and praying to Him that, in His goodness, He would arrange everything for his benefit, as He Himself knows and wills. And here he had a revelation about the misfortunes and sorrows coming upon him.
“Eustathius,” the Lord said to him, “it behooves you to actually demonstrate your faith, firm hope and zealous love for Me.” All this is learned not in the midst of temporary wealth and vain prosperity, but in poverty and adversity. You, like Job, will have to endure many sorrows and experience many calamities, so that, being tempted like gold in a furnace, you will appear worthy of Me and receive the crown from My hands.
“Thy will be done, Lord,” answered Eustathius, “I am ready to accept everything from Your hands with thanksgiving.” I know that You are good and merciful and, like a merciful Father, You punish; Shall I really not accept fatherly punishment from Your merciful hands? Truly, I am ready, like a slave, to patiently bear everything that is placed on me, if only Your all-powerful help would be with me.
– Do you want to endure sorrow now or in the last days of your life?
“Lord,” said Eustathius, “if it is impossible to completely avoid temptations, then let me now endure these disasters; just send me Your help, so that evil does not overcome me and tear me away from Your love.
The Lord said to him:
- Take courage, Eustathius, for My grace will be with you and will protect you. You will face deep humiliation, but I will exalt you, and not only in heaven will I glorify you before My angels, but also among people I will restore your honor: after many sorrows, I will again send you consolation and restore your former rank. You should, however, rejoice not because of temporary honor, but because your name is written in the book of eternal life.
Thus Saint Eustathius conversed with the invisible Lord and, filled with Divine grace, received revelations from Him. Rejoicing in spirit and burning with love for God, he returned to his home. Everything that was revealed to him by God, Eustathius told his honest wife. He did not hide from her that they would face many misfortunes and sorrows, and urged them to courageously endure them for the sake of the Lord, who would turn these sorrows into eternal joy and joy.
Listening to her husband, this prudent woman said:
– May the will of the Lord be upon us; We, with all our zeal, will begin to pray to Him only that He will send us patience.
And they began to live piously and honestly, struggling in fasting and prayer, giving alms to the poor even more abundantly than before, and improving more diligently than ever in all virtues.
After a little time, by God's permission, illness and death befell the house of Eustathius. All his household fell ill and in a short time not only almost all his servants died, but also all his livestock. And since those who remained alive lay sick, there was no one to guard Eustathius’ treasure, and thieves plundered his property at night. Soon the glorious and rich governor became almost a beggar. Eustathius, however, was not at all saddened by this and did not fall into inconsolable grief: amid all these trials, he did not sin in anything before God, and, thanking Him, he said, like Job:
– "The Lord gave, the Lord also took away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!"(Job 1:21).
And Eustathius consoled his wife so that she would not grieve about what was happening to them, and she, in turn, consoled her husband; and so they both endured sorrows with gratitude to God, entrusting themselves to His will in everything and strengthened by the hope of His mercy. Seeing that he had lost his property, Eustathius decided to hide from all his acquaintances somewhere in a distant place, and there, without revealing his noble origin and high rank, to live among the common people in humility and poverty. He hoped that, leading such a life, he would serve Christ the Lord, who was impoverished and humbled for the sake of our salvation, without any obstacle and far from everyday rumors. Eustathius consulted with his wife about this, after which they decided to leave the house at night. And so, secretly from their family - of whom there were quite a few left, and those who were sick - they took their children, exchanged precious clothes for rags and left their home. Coming from a noble family, being a great dignitary, beloved by the king, respected by everyone, Eustathius could easily regain the glory, honor, and wealth that he had lost, but, considering them as nothing, he left everything for the sake of God and wanted Him alone to have as your patron. Hiding so as not to be recognized, Eustathius wandered through unknown places, stopping among the simplest and most ignorant people. So, leaving his rich palaces, this imitator of Christ wandered, having no shelter anywhere. Soon the king and all the nobles learned that their beloved commander Placidas had disappeared to an unknown location. Everyone was perplexed and did not know what to think: did someone destroy Plakida, or did he himself somehow die by accident? They were greatly saddened about him and looked for him, but could not comprehend the mystery of God that took place in the life of Eustathius, for " For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who was His adviser?" (Rom. 11:34).
While Eustathius and his family were in an unknown place, his wife said to him:
- How long, my lord, will we live here? Let us better leave here for distant countries, so that no one recognizes us, and so as not to become the subject of ridicule among our friends.
And so, together with the children they went along the road leading to Egypt. After walking for several days, they came to the sea and, seeing a ship in the pier ready to sail to Egypt, they boarded this ship and sailed away. The owner of the ship was a foreigner and a very fierce man. Seduced by the beauty of Eustathius’s wife, he was inflamed with passion for her and had in his heart the evil intention of taking her away from this wretched man and taking her for himself. Having reached the shore, where Eustathius had to get off the ship, the owner took Eustathius’s wife instead of paying for transportation by sea. He began to resist, but could not do anything, for the ferocious and inhuman stranger, drawing his sword, threatened to kill Eustathius and throw him into the sea. There was no one to intercede for Eustathius. Weeping, he fell at the feet of the evil man, begging not to separate him from his beloved friend. But all his requests were unsuccessful, and he heard a decisive answer:
“If you want to stay alive, shut up and leave here, or immediately die here by the sword, and let this sea be your grave.”
Sobbing, Eustathius took his children and left the ship; The owner of the ship, casting off from the shore, raised the sails and set sail. How difficult was the separation from his chaste and faithful wife for this godly man! With eyes full of tears and hearts bursting with grief, they saw each other off. Eustathius sobbed, remaining on the shore, his wife sobbed on the ship, forcibly taken away from her husband and taken to an unknown country. Is it possible to express their grief, crying and sobbing? Eustathius stood on the shore for a long time and watched the ship as long as he could see it. Then he set off on the journey, leading his young children with him; and the husband wept for his wife, and the children wept for their mother. There was only one consolation for the righteous soul of Eustathius, that he accepted these trials from the hand of the Lord, without whose will nothing could happen to him. Eustathius was also encouraged by the thought that for this reason he was called to the faith of Christ, in order to patiently walk the path to the heavenly fatherland.
But Eustathius’s sorrows were not over yet; on the contrary, he soon had to experience new sorrows, greater than the previous ones. Before he had time to forget his first grief, a new grief approached. He had just suffered a sad separation from his wife, and not far from him was the loss of his children. Continuing his path, Eustathius came to a high-water and very fast river. There was no transportation or bridge across this river, and we had to cross it. It turned out to be impossible to transfer both sons to the other side at once. Then Eustathius took one of them and carried it on his shoulders to the opposite side. Having planted him here, he went back to also transfer his second son. But just as he reached the middle of the river, a scream was suddenly heard. Eustathius turned back and saw with horror how his son was grabbed by a lion and ran away with him into the desert. With a bitter and pitiful cry, Eustathius looked after the retreating beast until it disappeared from sight with its prey. Eustathius hastened to return to his other son. But before he could reach the shore, a wolf suddenly ran out and dragged the boy into the forest. Seized on all sides by grave sorrows, Eustathius stood in the middle of the river and seemed to be drowning in a sea of his tears. Can anyone tell how great his heartfelt grief and sobs were? He lost his wife, chaste, of the same faith and pious; lost his children, whom he looked at as the only consolation among the trials that befell him. It was truly a miracle that this man did not faint under the weight of such great sorrows and survived. There is no doubt that only the almighty right hand of the Most High strengthened Eustathius in enduring these sorrows: for only He who allowed him to fall into such temptations could send him such patience.
Coming ashore, Eustathius cried long and bitterly, and then with heartfelt sorrow he began to continue his journey. For him there was only one Comforter - God, in Whom he firmly believed and for whose sake he endured all this. Eustathius did not grumble at God at all, he did not begin to say: “Is it really that You, Lord, called me to know You, so that I would lose my wife and children? Is it the benefit of believing in You, so that I would become the most miserable of all people? So Do You love those who believe in You so that they perish in separation from each other? This righteous and patient husband did not even think of anything like that. On the contrary, in deep humility he brought thanks to the Lord for the fact that He was pleased to see His servants not in worldly prosperity and vain pleasures, but in sorrows and disasters, in order to console them in the future life with eternal joy and gladness.
But the Almighty God turns everything for good, and if he allows a righteous man to fall into disaster, it is not to punish him, but to test his faith and courage, favoring not tears, but firm patience, and listening to his gratitude. Just as the Lord once preserved Jonah unharmed in the belly of the whale (Jonah, chapter 2), so He preserved the children of Eustathius, kidnapped by beasts, unharmed. When the lion carried the boy into the desert, the shepherds saw him and began to chase him screaming. Having abandoned the boy, the lion sought salvation in flight. Also, the cultivators saw the wolf that had kidnapped another youth and screamed after him. The wolf also abandoned the boy. Both the shepherds and the farmers were from the same village. They took the children and raised them.
But Eustathius knew none of this. Continuing his journey, he either thanked God for his patience, or, overcome by human nature, cried, exclaiming:
- Woe to me! I was once rich, but now I am poor and deprived of everything. Alas for me! Once I was in glory, but now I am in dishonor. Alas for me! I was once a housewife and had large estates, but now I am a wanderer. I was once like a tree with many leaves and fruit, but now I am like a withered branch. I was surrounded at home by friends, on the streets by servants, in battles by soldiers, and now I am left alone in the desert. But don't leave me, Lord! Do not despise me, You, All-Seeing One! Don't forget me, You are the All-Good! Lord, don’t leave me until the end! I remembered, Lord, Your words spoken at the place of Your appearance to me: “You have to endure sorrows, like Job.” But now more has already been accomplished with me than with Job: for, although he had lost his property and glory, he lay in his own rot, but I am in a foreign country and I don’t know where to go; he had friends who consoled him, but my consolation, my beloved children, was stolen by wild animals in the desert and devoured; Although he lost his children, he could receive some consolation and some service from his wife, but my good wife fell into the hands of a lawless stranger, and I, like a reed in the desert, sway in the storm of my bitter sorrows. Do not be angry with me, Lord, that I say this out of grief in my heart; for I speak as a man. But in You, my Provider and Organizer of my path, I establish myself, I trust in You, and with Your love, like cool dew and a breath of wind, I cool the fire of my sorrow and with the desire of You, as if with some kind of sweetness, I delight the bitterness of my troubles.
Speaking thus with sighs and tears, Eustathius reached a certain village called Vadisis. Having settled in it, he began to work, hiring himself out from the local residents in order to earn food through the labor of his hands. He worked and worked on a task that he was not used to, and which he had not known until then. Subsequently, Eustathius begged the residents of that village to entrust him with guarding their grain, for which they paid him a small fee. So he lived in that village for fifteen years in great poverty and humility and in many labors, so that by the sweat of his brow he ate his bread. Who can depict his virtues and exploits? Anyone can appreciate them if he imagines that in the midst of such poverty and wandering he practiced nothing so much as in prayers, fasting, tears, vigils and sighs of the heart, lifting up his eyes and heart to God and expecting mercy from His ineffable mercy . The children of Eustathius were brought up not far from there, in another village, but he did not know about them, and they themselves did not know about each other, although they lived in the same village. And his wife, like Sarah once, was preserved by God from the debauchery of that stranger, who, at the very hour when he took her away from her righteous husband, was struck by illness and, having arrived in his country, died, leaving his captive clean without touching her. . God so protected His faithful servant that, being in the midst of a net, she was not caught, but like a bird she got rid of the net of those who caught her: the net was crushed, and she was delivered by the help of the Most High. After the death of that stranger, the virtuous woman became free and lived in peace, without misfortunes, obtaining food for herself through the labor of her hands.
At that time, foreigners waged war against Rome and caused a lot of harm, taking possession of some cities and regions. Therefore, King Trajan was in great sadness and, remembering his brave commander Placidus, said:
“If our Placidas were with us, then our enemies could not mock us; for he was terrible to the enemies, and the enemies were afraid of his name, because he was brave and happy in battle.
And the king and all his nobles were surprised at the strange circumstance that Placidas, who knows where, had disappeared with his wife and children. Having decided to send him throughout his kingdom to look for him, Trajan said to those around him:
“If anyone finds me my Placida, I will honor him with great honor and give him many gifts.”
And so two good warriors, Antiochus and Acacius, who were once faithful friends of Placidas and lived at his house, said:
- Autocratic king, order us to look for this man, who is greatly needed by the entire Roman kingdom. If we had to look for it in the most distant lands, then even then we would apply all our diligence.
The king was delighted at their readiness and immediately sent them to look for Placida. They set off and traveled around many regions, looking for their beloved governor in cities and villages and asking everyone they met if anyone had seen such a person somewhere. Finally, they approached the village where Eustathius lived. Eustathius was guarding the grain in the field at this time. Seeing the soldiers coming towards him, he began to take a closer look at them and, recognizing them from afar, rejoiced and cried with joy. Deeply sighing to God in the secret of his heart, Eustathius stood on the road along which those soldiers were supposed to pass; They, approaching Eustathius and greeting him, asked him what village this was and who owned it. Then they began to ask if there was some stranger here, of such and such age and such and such appearance, whose name was Placida.
Eustathius asked them:
- Why are you looking for him?
They answered him:
“He is our friend, and we have not seen him for a long time and do not know where he is with his wife and his children.” If someone had told us about him, we would have given that person a lot of gold.
Eustathius told them:
“I don’t know him, and I’ve never heard of Placidas.” However, my gentlemen, I ask you, enter the village and rest in my hut, because I see that you and your horses are tired from the road. So, rest with me, and then you can learn about the person you are looking for from someone who knows him.
The soldiers, listening to Eustathius, went with him to the village; but they did not recognize him; He recognized them well, so he almost cried, but restrained himself. In that village there lived a kind man, in whose house Eustathius had refuge. He brought the soldiers to this man, asking him to show them hospitality and feed them.
“I,” he added, “will repay you with my work for everything you spend on food, because these people are my acquaintances.”
The man, as a result of his kindness, and also heeding the request of Eustathius, diligently treated his guests. And Eustathius served them, bringing food and placing it before them. At the same time, his former life came to his mind, when those whom he now served served him in the same way - and he, overcome by the natural weakness of human nature, could hardly restrain himself from tears, but hid himself in front of the soldiers so as not to be recognized; He left the hut several times and, having cried a little and wiped away his tears, immediately entered again, serving them as a slave and a simple villager. The soldiers, often looking at his face, began to recognize him little by little and began to quietly say to each other: “This man looks like Placis... is it really him?..” And they added: “We remember that Placis there was a deep wound on his neck that he received in the war. If this husband has such a wound, then he is truly Placida himself.” Seeing that wound on his neck, the soldiers immediately jumped up from the table, fell at his feet, began to hug him and cried a lot for joy, saying to him:
– You are Placidas whom we are looking for! You are the king’s favorite, about whom he has been grieving for so long! You are the Roman commander for whom all the soldiers mourn!
Then Eustathius realized that the time had come about which the Lord had predicted to him, and in which he was to again receive his first rank and his former glory and honor, and said to the soldiers:
- I, brothers, am the one you are looking for! I am Placidas, with whom you fought against enemies for a long time. I am the man who was once the glory of Rome, terrible to foreigners, dear to you, but now I am poor, wretched and unknown to anyone!
Their mutual joy was great, and their tears were joyful. They dressed Eustathius in expensive clothes, as their commander, handed him the king’s message and earnestly asked him to immediately go to the king, saying:
“Our enemies have begun to overcome us, and there is no one as brave as you who could defeat and disperse them!”
The owner of that house and all his household, hearing this, were amazed and perplexed. And the news spread throughout the entire village that a great man had been found in it. All the inhabitants of the village began to flock, as if to a great miracle, and looked with surprise at Eustathius, dressed as a governor and receiving honors from the soldiers. Antiochus and Acacius told the people about the exploits of Placidas, about his courage, glory and nobility. The people, hearing that Eustathius was such a brave Roman commander, were surprised, saying: “Oh, what a great man lived among us, serving us as a mercenary!” And they bowed to him to the ground, saying:
- Why didn’t you reveal to us, sir, your noble origin and rank?
The former owner of Plakida, with whom he lived in the house, fell at his feet, asking him not to be angry with him for his disrespect. And all the inhabitants of that village were ashamed at the thought that they had a great man as a hireling, like a slave. The soldiers put Eustathius on a horse and rode with him, returning to Rome, and all the villagers saw him off with great honors. During the journey, Eustathius talked with the soldiers, and they asked him about his wife and children. He told them everything in order, what happened to him, and they cried, hearing about his misadventures. In turn, they told him how sad the king was because of him, and not only he, but also his entire court and soldiers. Having such a conversation with each other, a few days later they reached Rome, and the soldiers announced to the king that they had found Placis - and how it happened. The king met Placis with honor, surrounded by all his nobles, and joyfully embraced him and asked about everything that had happened to him. Eustathius told the king everything that had happened to him, his wife and children, and everyone, listening to him, was touched. After this, the king returned Eustathius to his former rank and endowed him with wealth greater than what he had owned at first. All Rome rejoiced at the return of Eustathius. The king asked him to go to war against foreigners and with his courage to protect Rome from their invasion, and also to take revenge on them for the seizure of some cities. Having gathered all the soldiers, Eustathius saw that they were not enough for such a war; therefore, he proposed to the king to send decrees to all regions of his state and collect young men from cities and villages capable of military service, and then send them to Rome; and it was done. The king sent decrees, and many young and strong people, capable of war, were gathered in Rome. Among them, two sons of Eustathius, Agapius and Theopist, were brought to Rome, who by that time had already matured and had a beautiful face, stately body and strong strength. When they were brought to Rome, and the governor saw them, he fell in love with them very much, for his paternal nature itself attracted him to the children, and he felt a strong love for them. Although he did not know that they were his children, he loved them as if they were his own children, and they were always with him and sat at the same table with him, for they were dear to his heart. Following this, Eustathius went to war with foreigners and defeated them by the power of Christ. He not only took away from them the cities and regions they had taken, but also conquered all the enemy’s land and completely defeated their army. Strengthened by the strength of his Lord, he showed even greater courage than before, and won such a brilliant victory as he had never won before.
When the war ended, and Eustathius was already returning to his fatherland in peace, he happened to be in a village located in a picturesque place, near a river. Since this place was convenient for stopping, Eustathius stopped with his soldiers for three days: for God so desired that His faithful servant should meet with his wife and children, and that those who had been scattered would again gather into one. His wife lived in that very village, having a garden, from which she earned food for herself with great difficulty. According to God's providence, Agapius and Theopist, knowing nothing about their mother, pitched a tent for themselves near her garden; raised in the same village, they had one common tent and loved each other like half-brothers. They did not know that they were brothers, however, not knowing their close relationship, they preserved brotherly love among themselves. Both of them went to rest near their mother’s garden, not far from the place where the governor’s camp was. One day, their mother was working in her garden around noon and heard a conversation between Agapius and Theopist, who at that time were resting in their tent. Their conversation was like this: they asked each other what origin each of them had, and the elder said:
“I remember a little that my father was a commander in Rome, and I don’t know why he and my mother left this city, taking me and my younger brother with him (and he had two of us). I also remember that we reached the sea and boarded the ship. Then, during the sea voyage, when we landed on the shore, our father left the ship, and with him my brother and I, but our mother, I don’t know for what reason, remained on the ship. I also remember that my father cried bitterly for her, he and I both cried, and he continued on his way weeping. When we approached the river, my father sat me down on the bank, and, taking my younger brother on his shoulder, carried me to the opposite bank. When he then carried it and walked after me, a lion came running, grabbed me and carried me into the desert; but the shepherds took me away from him, and I was raised in that village that you know.
Then the younger brother, quickly getting up, threw himself on his neck with joyful tears, saying:
“Truly you are my brother, for I remember everything that you talk about, and I myself saw when the lion kidnapped you, and at that time the wolf carried me away, but the farmers took me away from him.”
Having learned their relationship, the brothers were very happy and began to hug and kiss each other, shedding joyful tears. And their mother, hearing such a conversation, was surprised and raised her eyes to heaven with sighs and tears, for she was convinced that they were really her children, and her heart felt sweetness and joy after all the bitter sorrows. However, as a reasonable woman, she did not dare to appear to them and reveal herself without more reliable news, for she was poor and dressed in thin clothes, and they were prominent and glorious warriors. And she decided to go to the governor to ask his permission to return to Rome along with his army: she hoped that there it would be easier for her to open up to her sons, and also to find out about her husband, whether he was alive or not. She went to the governor, stood in front of him, bowed to him and said:
“I ask you, sir, order me to follow your regiment to Rome; for I am a Roman and have been taken captive by foreigners into this land for the past sixteen years; and now, being free, I wander around a foreign country and endure extreme poverty.
Eustathius, out of the kindness of his heart, immediately bowed to her request and allowed her to fearlessly return to her fatherland. Then that wife, looking at the governor, was completely convinced that he was her husband, and stood in surprise, as if in oblivion. But Eustathius did not recognize his wife. She, having unexpectedly received one joy after another, just as before one sadness after another, inwardly prayed to God with sighing and was afraid to open up to her husband and say that she was his wife; for he was in great glory and was now surrounded by many confidants; she was like the very last beggar. And she left his tent, praying to the Master and her God, that He Himself would arrange for her husband and children to recognize her. Then she chose a more convenient time, again entered Eustathius and stood in front of him. And he, looking at her, asked:
“What else are you asking of me, old lady?”
She bowed to him to the ground and said:
“I beg you, my lord, do not be angry with me, your servant, because I want to ask you about one thing.” Be patient and listen to me.
He told her:
- Okay, speak up.
Then she began her speech like this:
- Aren't you Placidas, named St. baptism by Eustathius? Didn't you see Christ on the cross among the antlers of a deer? Was it not you who, for the sake of the Lord God, left Rome with your wife and two children, Agapius and Theopist? Didn't a stranger take your wife from you on a ship? My faithful witness in heaven is Christ the Lord Himself, for whose sake I endured many adversities, that I am your wife, and that by the grace of Christ I was saved from insult, for this stranger at the very hour when he took me from you, I died, punished by the wrath of God, but I remained pure, and now I am in misery and in ruins.
Hearing all this, Eustathius seemed to awaken from sleep and immediately recognized his wife, stood up and hugged her, and they both cried a lot with great joy. And Eustathius said:
– Let us praise and give thanks to Christ our Savior, Who did not forsake us with His mercy, but as He promised to comfort us after sorrows, He did so!
And they thanked God with many joyful tears. After this, when Eustathius stopped crying, his wife asked him:
- Where are our children?
He took a deep breath and replied:
- The animals ate them.
Then his wife said to him:
- Don't worry, my lord! God helped us accidentally find each other, so He will help us find our children.
He remarked to her:
“Didn’t I tell you that they were eaten by animals?”
She began to tell him everything that she had heard the day before in her garden while working - all those conversations that the two warriors had among themselves in the tent, and from which she learned that they were their sons.
Eustathius immediately called those soldiers to him and asked them:
– What is your origin? Where were you born? Where were you brought up?
Then the eldest of them answered him like this:
“Our lord, we remained young after our parents and therefore we remember little of our childhood. However, we remember that our father was a Roman commander like you, but we do not know what happened to our father, and why he left Rome at night with our mother and the two of us; We also don’t know why exactly, when we crossed the sea on a ship, our mother remained on that ship. And our father, crying for her, came with us to the same river. While he was carrying us one by one across the river, he was in the middle of the river, animals kidnapped us: me - a lion, and my brother - a wolf. But we were both saved from the beasts: for I was saved and raised by shepherds, and my brother by farmers.
Hearing this, Eustathius and his wife recognized their children and, throwing themselves on their necks, cried for a long time. And there was great joy in the camp of Eustathius, as once in Egypt, when Joseph was recognized by his brothers (Gen. 45: 1-15). A rumor spread throughout all the regiments about the discovery of the wife and children of their commander, and all the soldiers joyfully gathered together, and there was great rejoicing throughout the entire army. They were not as happy about the victories as they were about this joyful event. Thus God comforted His faithful servants, for He " The Lord kills and gives life... The Lord makes poor and makes rich"(1 Samuel 2:6-7), brings down to sorrow and raises to joy and gladness. And Eustathius could then speak to David: " Come, listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell [you] what He has done for my soul. I will remember to do mercy on me. The right hand of the Lord is high, the right hand of the Lord creates power!" (Ps. 65:16; 10:16; 117:16).
While Eustathius was returning from the war, doubly rejoicing: both in victory and in finding his wife and children, even before his arrival in Rome, King Trajan died; he was succeeded by Adrian, who was very cruel, hated good people and persecuted the pious. After Eustathius entered Rome with great triumph, according to the custom of Roman generals, and led with him many captives, surrounded by rich spoils of war, the king and all the Romans received him with honor, and his courage became even more famous than before, and everyone respected him more than ever. But God, Who does not want His servants to be honored and glorified in this perverse and fickle world with vain and temporary veneration, for He has prepared for them in heaven eternal and lasting honor and glory, showed Eustathius the path of martyrdom, for he soon sent him dishonor again and the sorrow that he joyfully endured for Christ. The evil Adrian wanted to make a sacrifice to demons, in gratitude for the victory over his enemies. When he entered the idol temple with his nobles, Eustathius did not follow them, but remained outside. The king asked him:
“Why don’t you want to enter the temple with us and worship the gods?” You, after all, before others, should have given them thanks for the fact that they not only kept you safe and sound in the war and gave you victory, but also helped you find your wife and your children.
Eustathius answered:
– I am a Christian and I know my One God, Jesus Christ, and I honor and thank Him, and I worship Him. For He gave me everything: health, victory, spouse, and children. But I will not bow to deaf, dumb, powerless idols.
And Eustathius went to his house. The king became angry and began to think about how to punish Eustathius for dishonoring his gods. First, he removed the rank of governor from him and summoned him to trial as a common man, with his wife and children, and exhorted them to sacrifice to idols; but, not being able to persuade them to do this, he condemned them to be devoured by wild beasts. And so Saint Eustathius, this glorious and brave warrior, went to the circus, condemned to execution along with his wife and sons. But he was not ashamed of this dishonor, he was not afraid of death for Christ, Whom he zealously served, confessing His holy name before everyone. He strengthened both his holy wife and his children, so that they would not fear death for the Lord, the Giver of Life to all; and they went to death as to a feast, strengthening each other with the hope of future reward. Animals were released on them, but did not touch them, for as soon as one of the animals approached them, it immediately returned back, bowing its head before them. The animals softened their rage, and the king became even more furious and ordered them to be taken to prison. And the next day he ordered a copper ox to be heated and Saint Eustathius with his wife and children to be thrown into it. But this red-hot ox was for the holy martyrs, like a Chaldean oven, cooled with dew, for the holy youths (Dan. 3:21). Being in this will, the holy martyrs, having prayed, gave up their souls to God and passed into the kingdom of heaven. Three days later, Adrian approached that ox, wanting to see the ashes of the burnt martyrs; Having opened the doors, the tormentors found their bodies whole and unharmed, and not a single hair on their heads was burned, and their faces were similar to the faces of those sleeping and shone with wonderful beauty. All the people there exclaimed:
- Great is the Christian God!
The king returned to his palace in shame, and all the people reproached him for his anger - that he had in vain put to death a commander so necessary for Rome. The Christians, having taken the honorable bodies of the holy martyrs, gave them up for burial, glorifying God, wondrous in His saints, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom from us all be honor, glory and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, voice 2:
Having actually imitated the Passion of Christ, and having diligently drunk this cup, you were a companion, Eustathius, and heir to glory, having received divine abandonment from God himself from on high. 
(1) Trajan was one of the best Roman emperors: he cared a lot about the welfare of his people, completely transformed government, expanded the borders of the empire with happy wars, and founded new cities. However, he also persecuted Christians.
(2) Pagan name of St. Eustathia, more precisely in the Roman pronunciation “Placida”, from the Latin word placidus, meaning “quiet”, “even”, “calm”, “soft”, “meek”. A name that perfectly characterizes the high moral qualities of St. Eustathius even before his conversion to Christianity.
(3) Titus - Roman emperor, son and successor of Emperor Vespasian, reigned from 79 to 81. During the reign of his father, he was sent with a large army to Judea to punish the Jews who rebelled against Roman power. It is this war that is mentioned here. The war ended in 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple.
(4) Job is the great righteous man of the Old Testament, the keeper of true revelation and reverence for God in the human race, during the strengthening of pagan superstition after the dispersion of nations; known for his piety and integrity of life; was tested by God with all the misfortunes, among which he remained unshakable in his faith in virtue. Job lived in patriarchal times before the time of Moses in the country of Austidia, located in the northern part of rocky Arabia. The story of Job is described in detail in the book named after him, one of the oldest sacred biblical books.
( 5) That is - towards the Mediterranean Sea, which had to be crossed by ship to reach Egypt. Egypt is a country located in the northeastern part of Africa. At the time described, Egypt was under the rule of the Romans, to which it finally fell in 30 BC.
(6) In life he is called a “barbarian.” This is how the Greeks, and after them the Romans, called all foreigners in general. It was a contemptuous nickname, denoting the rudeness and ignorance of other peoples. At the same time, this name is adopted in Scripture and the general concept of an inhuman and ferocious person. This was probably one of those sea robbers who at that time often terrified the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, taking and selling beautiful women and girls into slavery, inhumanly killing those who prevented them from doing so.
(7) Here, of course, is a well-known similar example from the life of the Old Testament patriarch Abraham and his wife Sarah, shortly after their resettlement to the land of Canaan. When Abraham came to Egypt during the ensuing famine, Pharaoh wanted to take her as his wife for Sarah’s beauty, but the Lord did not allow this and struck both the king and his court with heavy executions for Sarah (Gen. 12:11-20).
(8) This was shortly before the death of Trajan, as can be seen from the narrative itself. From history it is clear that at this time various Asian peoples subject to Rome rebelled against Roman rule, and the emperor was preparing for a campaign against Mesopotamia.
( 9) That is According to Roman custom, Placidas was given a so-called triumph, or a solemn, brilliant meeting, as a victorious commander crowned with glory.
(10) “Great Chetya – Menaion” Met. Macarius adds here the following details, which are not found in St. Demetrius of Rostov. When St. The martyrs approached the place of the terrible execution, then, raising their hands to the sky, they offered up a fiery prayer to the Lord, as if contemplating some heavenly phenomenon, as can be seen from the first words of their prayer. This prayer was as follows: “Lord God of hosts, invisible to us by all, visible! Hear us who pray to You and accept our last prayer. Here we are united, and You have made us worthy of the fate of Your saints; like the three youths cast into the fire in Babylon, were rejected by You, so now make us worthy to die in this fire, so that You may deign to accept us as an acceptable sacrifice. Grant, O Lord God, to everyone who remembers the memory of our fate in the Kingdom of Heaven; turn the fury of this fire into the cold and make us worthy of it. he will die. We also pray, Lord: grant that our bodies may not be separated, but may lie together.” In response to this prayer, a Divine voice was heard from heaven: “May it be for you as you ask! And more will it be for you, for you have endured many adversities and have not been defeated. Go in peace, receive crowns of victory for your sufferings, rest forever centuries."
(11) Relics of St. Eustathius and his family are in Rome in the church named after him.
Prayer
Oh, glorious saint and long-suffering great martyr of Christ Eustathius! Hear us, sinners and unworthy ones, who celebrate your holy long-suffering memory. Ask us from the Lord with your many-powerful prayers for grace, even to salvation, and forgiveness of all the sins we have committed, the prosperity of the earth, a peaceful dispensation for the world and liberation from the fierce wiles of the devil, the Christian end of our life and the peaceful passage to heaven through airy ordeals, for you have accepted This grace is from the Lord, if you pray for us, and if you desire to have mercy on us who honor your sacred memory. You can do everything. Do not despise us unworthy, Holy Great Martyr Eustathius. Ask from the Lord all that is good and useful to our souls, so that we too may be worthy to glorify and glorify His All-Holy and Magnificent Name in the worldly Kingdom of Heaven, where there is the dwelling place of all saints, forever and ever. Amen.
Second prayer
Holy Martyr Eustathius! Look down from the heavenly palace on those who require your help and do not reject our petitions, but, as our constant benefactor and intercessor, pray to Christ God, that He who loves mankind and is abundantly merciful will save us from every cruel situation: from cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasions of foreigners and internecine warfare. May he not condemn us sinners for our iniquity, and may we not turn the good things given to us from the All-Bounteous God into evil, but into the glory of His holy name and into the glorification of your strong intercession. May the Lord, through your prayers, give us peace of mind, abstinence from harmful passions and all defilement, and may He strengthen throughout the world His One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which He has acquired with His honest Blood. Pray diligently, holy martyr, may Christ God bless the power, may He establish in His holy Orthodox Church the living spirit of right faith and piety, so that all its members, clean from superstition and superstition, worship Him in spirit and truth and diligently care about keeping His commandments, May we all live in peace and piety in this present world and achieve blessed eternal life in heaven, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion to the Great Martyr Eustathius
Troparion, tone 4
Your martyr, Lord, Eustathius, in his suffering received an imperishable crown from You, our God; Having Thy strength, overthrow the tormentors, crush the demons of weak insolence. Save his souls with your prayers.
Kontakion, tone 2
Having actually imitated the Passion of Christ, and having diligently drunk this cup, you were a fellow-heir of Eustathius and a joint heir of glory, receiving Divine abandonment from God Himself from on high.
Ikos
Grant me a song, O my God, to sing and speak now of the deeds of Thy passion-bearer, O Lord, that I may well praise the valiant Eustathius in his suffering, who was always victorious in battles, great in piety, and who shone forth in the face of the martyrs: with them for the angels sing unceasingly to Thee , All-wise, accepting from above the Divine abandonment.
During the reign of Emperor Trajan, the noble and wealthy military leader Placidas lived in Rome. He was so brave that all enemies feared his name. But more than feats of arms, Placidas loved to help the poor, the sick and those in trouble. He was a very kind and good person - he just did not have faith in God, without which all good deeds are dead.
One day Plakida went hunting. Having scared away a herd of deer, his servants and companions set off in pursuit. He himself chose a very large animal, which broke away from the herd and rushed across the fields. The hunters were soon left behind, and Placidas still rode on a fast and strong horse, further and further. Finally, the deer jumped onto a high stone and froze.
“How can I catch him?” the hunter thought, and suddenly he saw a luminous cross between the deer’s antlers, and Jesus Christ nailed to it. A divine voice rang out:
Why are you persecuting Me, Placidas?
He was horrified and fell dead from his horse, and when he woke up, he said:
Who are you, Lord?
I am Jesus Christ - the One whom you, not knowing, honor with good deeds and alms. I appeared to you on a deer, which you wanted to catch, in order to catch you - so that you may know Me and be My faithful servant.
Placidas stood up. The deer was no longer there, and the vision disappeared.
“I believe that You are the God of heaven and earth and the Creator of the universe. I worship You alone and pray, teach me how to live,” he said.
Go to a Christian priest, get baptized, and he will guide you on the path of salvation.
It was late evening when Plakida returned home. He called his wife and told her everything. She wasn't surprised at all.
Placidas immediately sent people to search for the priest, and soon the whole family and several faithful servants were with Father John. After instructing them in the Christian faith and praying, he baptized them all in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Placidas received the name Eustathius in holy baptism, his wife - Theopistia, and his sons - Agapius and Theopist. They received Holy Communion and went home in peace.
The next day, Eustathius mounted his horse and called the servants to hunt. But he had no intention of hunting at all - in fact, he wanted to once again visit that stone where the Lord appeared to him. Having sent away his companions and being left alone, Placidas, on his knees with tears, thanked God and asked to arrange his fate according to His good will. The Lord said to him:
Eustathius, you have to show your faith and love in practice - and they are known in poverty and adversity.
“Lord, here I am before You,” answered Placida. “Do with me what you want, just do not deprive Your help.”
Several days passed, and illness and death came to Plakida’s house: both people and cattle fell ill. Soon almost all the workers died, and those who were alive lay sick. There was no one to guard the house, and the thieves stole everything valuable at night, so Placidas became completely impoverished. But he was not at all sad and thanked God, like Job, saying: “God gave, God took away, as God pleased, so it was done - blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Placidas and his wife decided to leave home and settle in a foreign country, where no one knows them and has never heard of their nobility, wealth and glory. They put on beggar clothes, took their sons and at night, hiding from people, they left.
When Emperor Trajan learned that his beloved military leader had disappeared, he was very upset and began to look for him. Meanwhile, Placidas and his family were walking to the sea to board a ship and go to Egypt.
The captain of the ship was a pagan, a wild and ferocious barbarian. He liked Placida's wife and wanted to take her away from her husband. Arriving at the shore, the captain demanded payment from Eustathius for transportation - Theopistia. Eustathius was unarmed, and there was no one to intercede for them - he could only beg for mercy. But the barbarian drew his sword and shouted:
Shut up and get out of here, otherwise I will kill you and throw your corpse into the sea!
Eustathius and the children went ashore, and the ship, raising its sails, set sail.
The orphaned Eustathius walked with his sons along the road until a fast and deep river blocked their path. There was no bridge nearby, and they had to ford the river. Placida put his youngest son on his shoulders and carried him to the other side. Returning for the elder, he heard a cry: a lion was carrying Agapius into the desert. Eustathius hurried back and saw the wolf running into the forest with Theopist.
But even now Placidas did not grumble against God and did not complain about fate.
He settled in the village and worked as a simple peasant, something he had never had to do before. And then he became a watchman and guarded the crops. So Eustathius lived for fifteen years in poverty and humility, working by the sweat of his brow to earn his bread.
At that time, Rome was attacked by barbarian tribes; they ravaged cities and devastated villages. Emperor Trajan was in great sadness. He remembered his glorious military leader and said:
If our Placidas had been here, the enemies would not have been able to defeat the Roman army.
He was more upset than ever and wondered how Placidas had disappeared without a trace with his wife and children, and decided to send people to search throughout the empire.
“Whoever finds my Placidus for me will receive an honorary reward and expensive gifts,” said the emperor.
Then two brave warriors Antiochus and Acacius, friends of Placis, who used to live in his house, volunteered to look for him. They passed through many towns and villages, asking everyone they met if they had seen their beloved friend, and finally reached the village where Placidas lived.
And then he guarded the grain in the field. Eustathius saw his friends from afar, recognized them and cried with joy. He stood by the road along which the soldiers were walking, and they approached and asked him what kind of village this was and whether such and such a man named Placida lived in it.
Why do you need it? - asked Eustathius.
“He is our friend,” they answered. “We haven’t seen him for a long time and don’t know where he disappeared to.” Whoever tells us where he is, and his wife and children, will receive a lot of gold.
“I don’t know this and I’ve never heard of any Placis,” said Eustathius. “But I ask you, stay in our village and rest in my hut.” I see that you and your horses are tired - stay with me, and then look for those who can help you.
The warriors did not recognize him and went with him to the village. And he looked at them and could hardly restrain himself from tears.
Eustathius brought them to his place - and he lived in someone else's house, with a kind man. The owner treated the guests, and Eustathius served them at the table, as they had once served him.
During dinner, Antiochus and Akakios kept looking at Eustathius and little by little began to recognize him.
This man looks like Plakida - or this is him,” they quietly talked. “Placida had a deep wound received in the battle.” If this person has a scar on his neck, then it is him.
Having seen the scar, they rushed to the feet of Eustathius, hugged him, and rejoiced.
The whole village gathered here. People were surprised that Placidas himself lived and worked with them as a simple peasant, and they listened to the stories of the soldiers about his courage, exploits and nobility, and asked him not to be angry with them.
Rome rejoiced when it learned of the return of Placidas, and the emperor gave him much more gifts than before and made him the first military leader.
Preparing the army for battle with the barbarians, Eustathius saw that it was too small in number. He ordered that young men fit for military service be searched throughout the country and sent to Rome.
So both brothers, Agapius and Theopist, ended up in the capital. They were tall, strong and handsome young men. The military leader noticed them and soon fell in love with them as sons - not knowing that they were his children.
Having defeated the enemies, the army returned from distant countries. So that the warriors could rest, Placidas set up camp in a very beautiful place, in a village near the river, and stood there for three days. And in that very village lived his wife Eustathia; she had a vegetable garden, from which she fed herself, working by the sweat of her brow.
According to God's provision, Agapius and Theopist set up their tent right next to her garden.
One day at noon, while resting, they started talking and began to find out which of them was of what kind.
“I vaguely remember that my father was a Roman military leader,” said Agapius. “He, my mother and my younger brother and I left Rome, boarded a ship and sailed across the sea. For some reason, mother remained on the ship, and we went ashore and cried a lot about her. And then I had to wade the river, and my father left me on the bank. A lion came running, grabbed me and carried me into the desert. But the shepherds chased after him and took me away.
Theopist threw himself on his neck.
You are my brother! - he shouted. “I remember everything you are talking about, and I saw with my own eyes how the lion carried you away.” A wolf grabbed me, but the peasants drove him away.
Theopistia heard the brothers' conversation. She was surprised, and rejoiced, and was afraid to believe that these glorious young warriors were Agapius and Theopist. Theopistia decided to ask the military commander for permission to go with the army to Rome to look for her husband there and make sure that the young men were her sons.
Arriving at Placida, she bowed and said:
I beg you, let me go with you to Rome. I myself am Roman; fifteen years ago I was captured by barbarians and brought here. Now I am free and wandering in a foreign country, suffering need.
Eustathius had a kind heart, and he immediately agreed to take her to Rome. And Theopistia recognized him and stopped in surprise, as if in oblivion. But the husband did not understand who was standing in front of him.
She did not open up to him and left. “I am so poor and wretched, and he is a famous warrior,” she thought and prayed to God that He would help and that her husband and sons would recognize her.
Time passed, and Theopistia again approached Placis.
What more do you ask, mother? - he asked.
She bowed low and said:
Are you not Placidas, named Eustathius in holy baptism? Didn't you see Christ on the cross among the antlers of a deer? Wasn’t it you, for God’s sake, who left Rome with your wife and sons Agapius and Theopistus? And wasn’t it the barbarian who took your wife away from you on the ship? God's grace protected me and saved me from reproach - after all, that barbarian suddenly fell ill and died without causing me harm.
Eustathius seemed to awaken from a dream. He recognized his wife, and, hugging, they cried with great joy.
Where are our children? - she asked.
They were eaten by animals,” said Placida, sighing from the heart.
Don't worry, my lord. Just as God brought us to meet by chance, so our children will be found.” And Theopistia told him about the conversation she had heard.
Then Eustathius ordered to call Agapius and Theopist and asked them about everything. Having heard the story of their sons, the father and mother rejoiced, and with them the whole army - they were not as happy about the victory over the barbarians as about this joy. Thus God comforted His faithful servants.
At that time, Emperor Trajan died. Adrian, who revered idols and hated Christians, began to rule in his place. He thought that it was the pagan gods who helped the Romans defeat the barbarians, and when the army came to Rome, he ordered everyone to prepare for the sacrifice.
Eustathius refused to go to the idol temple. As a Christian, he confessed the true God and, together with his wife and sons, was condemned to execution. Wild animals were released on the martyrs, but they did not cause them any harm - they only bowed and moved away from them.
Then Adrian ordered a copper ox to be heated and the Christians thrown into it. They did not burn - God's grace, like cool dew, cooled the metal - but, after praying, they gave up their souls to the Lord.
On the third day after the execution, Roman Christians took their incorrupt bodies and buried them, glorifying God, wondrous in His saints.
Holy Great Martyr Eustathius before Baptism he bore the name Placidas. He was a military leader under the emperors Titus (79–81) and Trajan (98–117). Not yet knowing Christ, Placidas did works of mercy, helping all the needy and suffering. The Lord did not leave the virtuous pagan in the darkness of idolatry.
Once, while hunting, he was chasing a deer on a fast horse, which stopped, running up a high mountain, and Placidas suddenly saw a shining Cross between its horns, and on it - the crucified Son of God. The amazed Placida heard a voice: “Why are you persecuting Me, Placida?” “Who are you, Lord, speaking to me?” – Plakida asked in fear. And I heard in response: “I am Jesus Christ, God, who became incarnate for the salvation of people and endured free suffering and death on the Cross. You, without knowing Me, honor Me, for your good deeds and abundant alms have reached Me. I appeared here to convert and join you to My faithful servants. For I do not want a person who does righteous deeds to perish in the snares of the enemy.”
Placidas exclaimed: “Lord, I believe that You are the God of Heaven and earth, the Creator of all creatures. I pray to You, Lord, teach me what to do.” And again the Divine voice sounded: “Go to a Christian priest, receive Baptism from him, and he will guide you to salvation.”
Plakida returned home with joy and told his wife everything; she, in turn, told him about how the day before, in a mysterious dream, Someone had said to her: “You, your husband and your sons will come to Me tomorrow and know Me - Jesus Christ, the True God, who sends salvation to those who love Me.” The couple did as they were told.
They turned to a Christian presbyter, who baptized their entire family and administered the Holy Mysteries to everyone.
The next day, Saint Eustathius went to the place of his miraculous conversion and in fervent prayers thanked the Lord, who had called him to the path of salvation. And again Saint Eustathius was awarded a miraculous revelation - God Himself warned him about the upcoming trials: “Eustathius, it behooves you to demonstrate your faith in action. You, like Job, will have to endure many tribulations so that, being tempted like gold in a furnace, you will appear worthy of Me and receive the crown from My hands.” Saint Eustathius humbly answered: “Thy will be done, Lord, I am ready to accept everything from Thy hands with thanksgiving, if only Thy all-powerful help would be with me.”
Soon disasters befell Eustathius: all his servants died and all his livestock died. Ruined, but not discouraged, Saint Eustathius and his family secretly left home to live in obscurity, humility and poverty. He took the ship to Egypt. During the voyage, a new misfortune befell the saint. The owner of the ship, seduced by the beauty of Eustathius’s wife, mercilessly put him and his children ashore, and kept his wife with him. In great sorrow, the saint continued on his way, and new grief broke out over him. While fording a stormy river, he carried his two sons in turn, but while he was carrying one, the other was grabbed on the bank by a lion and carried into the desert, and while he returned to the other, he was dragged into the forest by a wolf.
Having lost everything, Saint Eustathius wept bitterly. But he realized that it was Divine Providence that sent him these misfortunes in order to test his patience and devotion to the will of God. Having poured out his inconsolable grief to God in prayers, Saint Eustathius moved on, humbly ready for new trials. In the village of Vadiss, he hired himself as a worker and spent fifteen years in continuous labor. And Saint Eustathius did not know then that by the grace of God the shepherds and tillers saved his sons, and they lived next to him; He also did not know that the wicked shipbuilder was soon punished - he died of a cruel illness, and the wife of Saint Eustathius, remaining untouched, lived in peaceful labors.
At that time, Emperor Trajan had to fight a difficult war for Rome. He remembered the valiant commander Placida and sent the warriors Antiochus and Acacius, friends of Placida, to find him.
Having traveled through many regions, they came to the village where Saint Eustathius lived. The soldiers met Eustathius in the field where he was guarding the grain, but did not recognize him and began to tell him who they were looking for, asking for his help and promising a large payment. But Saint Eustathius, immediately recognizing his friends, did not reveal his name to them. He brought them to his master's house and fed them. Looking closely at him, the travelers noticed that he was very similar to their commander, and when they saw a special mark on his neck - a mark from a deep battle wound, they realized that this was their friend. They hugged him with tears and told him why they were looking for him. Saint Eustathius returned to Rome and again became an imperial military leader. Many recruits came to his army, and he did not know that the two young warrior friends to whom he often gave orders and whom he loved for their dexterity and courage were his sons, and they did not know that they were serving under their father and that They are each other's brothers.
Once on a campaign, the army led by Eustathius stopped in one village. The warrior brothers were talking in the tent. The eldest talked about his fate: how he lost his mother and unfortunate brother, how horribly he was separated from his father. And the younger one happily realized that this was his brother, and told about himself.
The conversation of the soldiers was heard by a woman who had a tent pitched near her house - it was their mother. She realized that these were her sons. Not yet opening up to them, but very much wanting not to part with them, she came to their commander, Saint Eustathius, to ask permission to follow his army. In him she recognized her husband and in tears told him about herself and about the two warriors who turned out to be their sons. Thus, by the great mercy of the Lord, the whole family met.
By this time the war had ended in victory. Saint Eustathius returned to Rome with honors and glory. The successor of the deceased emperor Trajan was now Adrian (117–138), who wished to celebrate the events with a solemn sacrifice to the gods. To the surprise of everyone, Saint Eustathius was not in the temple. At the order of the emperor, he was urgently found.
“Why don’t you want to worship the gods? - asked the emperor. “You should give them thanks before anyone else.” They not only kept you in the war and gave you victory, but also helped you find your wife and children.” Saint Eustathius replied: “I am a Christian and I know my One God, Jesus Christ, I honor and thank Him, and I worship Him. He gave me everything: health, victory, returned my family and sent down His help to overcome trials.” In anger, the emperor demoted the famous commander and summoned him and his family to trial. But even there it was not possible to persuade the firm confessors of Christ to sacrifice to idols. The entire family of Saint Eustathius was condemned to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. But the animals did not touch the holy martyrs. Then the cruel emperor, in a rage, ordered everyone to be thrown alive into a red-hot copper bull, in which Saints Eustathius and his wife suffered martyrdom. Theopistia and their sons Agapius And Theopist. When the fiery grave was opened three days later, the bodies of the holy martyrs were found unharmed - not a single hair was burned on their heads, and their faces shone with unearthly beauty. Many who saw the miracle believed in Christ. Christians buried the honorable bodies of saints.
Lives of the Great Martyr Eustathius, his wife the martyr Theopistia and the children of their martyrs Agapius and Theopist
The holy ve-li-ko-mu-che-nik Ev-sta-fiy before Baptism had the name Pla-ki-da. He was the chief under the im-per-ra-to-rah Ti-te (79-81) and Tra-yan (98-117). Not yet knowing Christ, Pla-ki-da did de-la mi-lo-ser-dia, helping all those in trouble and suffering. The Lord did not leave the goodness of the pagans in the darkness of idolatry.
One day, while hunting, he chased a deer on a fast horse, which stopped, running up a high mountain. ru, and Pla-ki-da suddenly saw between his ro-ga-mi a si-i-yu-yu-s-the Cross, and on it - the crucified Son of God. The married Pla-ki-da heard a voice: “Why are you persecuting Me, Pla-ki-da?” - “Who are you, Lord, speaking to me?” - Pla-ki-da asked in fear. And I heard the answer: “I am Jesus Christ, God, who incarnated for the salvation of people and endured free suffering and death on the cross. You, without knowing me, eat, for your good deeds and abundant kindnesses have not reached me. Me. I have appeared here to convert and unite you to My faithful servants. For I do not want to the age that did righteous deeds perished in the networks of their enemies.”
Pla-ki-da cried out: “Lord, I believe that You are the God of Heaven and earth, the Creator of all creatures. I pray to You, Lord.” please, teach me what to do." And again the Divine voice sounded: “Go to the Christian priest, receive Baptism from him, and he's going to take you to the spa."
With joy, Pla-ki returned home and told his wife everything; she, in turn, told him about how the other day, in a mysterious dream, Someone said to her: “You , your husband and your sons will come to Me tomorrow and know Me - Jesus Christ, the True God, s-s-la-yu-s-spa-se-nie loving Me." Su-pr-gi-stu-pi-li, how could they be-le-no.
They turned to the Christian priest, who baptized their entire family and brought everyone to the Holy tykh Ta-in.
The next day, Saint Evstafiy came to the place of his miracle and -rya-chih mo-lit-wah-blessed the Lord, having called him to the path of salvation.
And again Saint Evstafiy was honored with a miracle from the blood of God - God Himself foresaw him about the things ahead -py-ta-ni-yah: “Ev-sta-fiy, it’s time for you to actually demonstrate your faith. You, like Job, have to endure many sorrows, so that, being experienced, like the gold in the mountain, you will appear worthy Me and take the crown from My hands." Saint Evstafiy humbly answered: “Thy will be done, Lord, I am ready to accept everything from Thy hands with bla “I wish I could, if only Your all-powerful help would be with me.”
Soon, disasters befell Evstafiy: all his servants died and all the livestock fell. Disappointed, but not disheartened, Saint Evstafiy and his family secretly left the house to live in obscurity, media and none. On the ship he headed to Egypt. While swimming, a new misfortune befell the saint. The owner of the co-worker, having been seduced by the beauty of his wife Evstafiya, without pity, put him and the children on the shore, Well, well, I left it at my place. In great sorrow, the saint continued his journey, and a new grief broke out over him. Ford the stormy river, he forded his two sons in turn, but while he forded a lion grabbed one of the other on the shore and carried him away into the wilderness, and while he returned to the other - then A wolf dragged him into the forest.
Having lost everything, Saint Evstafiy wept bitterly. But he knew that it was Divine Providence that sent him these misfortunes in order to test his patience and devotion to his will. Oh my God. In prayers, pouring out his inconsolable grief to God, Saint Evstafiy moved on, humble, but ready for new -py-ta-ni-yam. In the village of Vadiss, he hired a worker and spent fifteen years in continuous labor. And Saint Evstafiy did not know then that, by the mercy of God, shepherd-tu-hi and the land-pas-tsy saved his sons, and they lived next to him; Nor did he know that the wicked ship-builder was soon punished - he died of a severe illness, and That's why Evstafiya, remaining unshakable, lived in peaceful labors.
At that time, they had to fight a difficult war for Rome. He remembered the extra-flattering half-co-water of Pla-ki-du and from-the-new An-tio-ha and Aka-kiya, Pla-ki’s friends Yes, find him.
Having visited many regions, they came to the village where Saint Evstafiy lived. Once upon a time you met Evstafiy in the field where he was storing grain, but they didn’t recognize him and began to tell him about what They are looking for him, asking for his help and promising him a large payment. But Saint Evstafiy, immediately recognizing his friends, did not reveal his name to them. He brought them to his master's house and fed them. When you looked up to him, you noticed that he was very similar to their half, and when did you see on his neck there is a special mark - a mark from a deep military wound, do you know that in front of them is their friend. They hugged him with tears and told him why they were looking for him. Saint Evstafiy returned to Rome and again became the emperor's chief. Many new recruits came to his army, and he did not know that two young men were with each other, whom he he often gave s-to-ka-za-niya and loved someone for their dexterity and courage, if there were his sons, and they didn’t know, that they serve under the command of their father and that they are brothers to each other.
One day, while on the move, the army led by Evstafiy stayed in one village. In-and-now-brothers be-se-do-va-li in pa-lat-ke. The eldest talked about his fate: how he lost his mother and unfortunate brother, how horribly he was separated from chen with father. And the younger one realized with joy that his brother was in front of him, and he knew about himself.
Once upon a time I heard a woman, there was a ras-ki-nu-ta pa-lat-ka at the house, - it would- la their mother. She realized that these were her sons. Not yet opening up to them, but very much wanting not to part with them, she came to their boss - Saint Ev- Sta-fiya ask permission to follow with his army. She recognized her husband in him and, in tears, told him about herself and the two warriors who had turned out to be their sons-no-vya-mi. So, by the Lord’s mercy, the whole family met.
By this time, the war had ended. With honor and glory, Saint Ev-stafiy returned to the pre-death of Tra-ya -Now Adri-an (117-138) became, who wanted to celebrate the co-existence of the solemn sacrificial but-she-ni-eat god. To the surprise of everyone, Saint Evstafiy was not in the ka-pi-sche. At his behest, we urgently found him.
“Why don’t you want to worship the gods?” asked im-per-ra-tor. It would be good to give them blessings. They not only saved you in the war and gave you peace, but also help. “Could you find some children.” Saint Evstafiy replied: “I am a Christian and I know the only God of my Jesus Christ, I honor Him and bless him.” -Go-yes, and I bow to Him. He gave me everything: health, in trouble, returned to my family and sent Use your help to overcome it." In anger, the im-per-ra-tor expressed pity about the glory of the half-co-vod and summoned him and his family to trial. But even there it was not possible for Christ’s strong teachings to sway them towards idolatry. The entire family of Saint Evstafiy was condemned to be killed by animals. But the animals didn’t touch the holy men. Then the hundred-year-old im-per-ra-tor, in a rage, ordered to throw all the living ones into the ra-ka-len-no-go honey-but-go- ka, in which Saints Evstafiy, his wife Fe-o-pi-stia and their sons-no-vya Aga-piy and Fe-o-pist. When, three days later, the fiery grave was opened, the bodies of the holy mar- ties were rendered uninjured -mi - not a single hair burned on their heads, and their faces were of unearthly beauty. You have seen many miracles of faith in Christ. Christ did not foresee the honorable bodies of the saints.
See also: "" in the text of St. Di-mit-ria of Ro-stov.
Prayers
Troparion to the Great Martyr Eustathius Placis and others like him, tone 4
Thy martyrs, Lord,/ in their suffering received incorruptible crowns from Thee, our God:/ having Thy strength,/ the tormentors,/ crushing the demons of weak insolence./ Those they say itvami // save our souls.
Translation: Your martyrs, Lord, by their deeds received imperishable crowns from You, our God; for they, having Thy power, overthrew the tormentors, and crushed the demons of weak insolence. Through their prayers, Christ God, save our souls.
Kontakion to the Great Martyr Eustathius Placidas, tone 2
Having clearly imitated the Passion of Christ/ and having diligently drank His cup,/ you were a fellow-companion, Eustathius, and heir to glory,/ from God Himself of all// accepting from on high the divine forsaking.
Translation: Having openly imitated the sufferings of Christ and diligently drunk His cup, you were a participant and heir to the glory of the God Himself of all, receiving divine forgiveness from Heaven.
Prayer to the Great Martyr Eustathius Placidas
Oh, glorious, holy and long-suffering great martyr of Christ Eustathius! Hear us, sinners and unworthy, who celebrate your holy memory. Ask us from the Lord with your many powerful prayers for grace, even for salvation, and for all the sins we have committed, forgiveness, prosperity for the earth, a peaceful dispensation for the world and from the fierce wiles of the devil liberation, the Christian end of our life and the peaceful passage to heaven through aerial ordeals, you You have received this grace from the Lord even as you pray for us, and if you desire help for us who honor your sacred memory, you can do all things. Do not despise us, unworthy, passion-bearing saint, and ask from the Lord all that is good and useful to our souls, so that we too may be worthy to glorify and sing His all-holy and magnificent name in the worldly Kingdom of Heaven, where there is a dwelling place for all the saints, forever and ever. Amen.
Canons and Akathists
Kontakion 1
To the chosen governor, numbered among the saints, Saint Eustathius Placis, we now offer songs of praise. But you, great martyr, entered into heavenly peace by the fire of torment, free us from the fire of passions and all kinds of troubles, calling to you with hope:
Ikos 1
The Lord of angels and the Creator of men, who wanted to save everyone and come into the mind of truth, appeared to you in a wondrous image, Eustathius, when you saw the Cross above the head of the tree and on it the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us. But you are the voice of Christ: “Why persecute Me, Placido? Hearing in amazement, you asked in fear: “Who are you, Lord, who speaks to me?” And having realized that He is Jesus Christ, who came to save sinners, You confessed Him to be the true God. We, marveling at your conversion to true faith, cry out to you:
Rejoice, thou brought forth from among the wicked by the Lord.
Rejoice, you who were guided by Him on the path of salvation.
Rejoice, loving the Creator with all your heart.
Rejoice, you have extinguished the fire of passions within yourself.
Rejoice, for for the name of the Sweetest Jesus you endured great suffering.
Rejoice, for you remained faithful to Him even to the fierce death.
Rejoice, thou who adorned thy head with the crown of martyrdom.
Rejoice, you who have tasted the sweets of heaven with the saints.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the Lord of your heart, the purity and great mercy for all the needy and suffering, did not leave you to remain in the darkness of idolatry, but enlighten you with the light of the faith of Christ, and, having come to know the true God, sing to Him with all the righteous: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Having a mind enlightened by God and instructed by the voice of the Divine from above, Saint Eustace, like the wise head of his house, you led all those living in it to saving faith and holy Baptism. For this reason we praise you, saying:
Rejoice, lover of the Divine truth.
Rejoice, thou who has done alms for Christ's sake.
Rejoice, show us a righteous way of life.
Rejoice, skillfully heal the wounds of sin.
Rejoice, for you raise up the faithful to glorify the Lord.
Rejoice, for you teach us love for God and our neighbors.
Rejoice, sweet-voiced preacher of Christ.
Rejoice, heir to the Mountainous Kingdom with the saints.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 3
Strengthened by the power of Divine love, the holy martyrs Eustathia and Theopistia, with humility and patience, naturally endured all troubles and misfortunes, placing their trust in the only Lord, singing with faith to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having in your heart the desire to serve the One Lord faithfully, you left your house, Eustathia, and you rushed across the sea to Egypt with your whole family. Marveling at such humility of yours and trust in God’s Providence, we offer you great praise:
Rejoice, for for our sake you have become like the poor Lord.
Rejoice, for you imitate the Holy Family, you fled to Egypt.
Rejoice, having great faith in Christ in your heart.
Rejoice, you who bravely endured all the sorrows.
Rejoice, thou who art a quick helper to those in need and sorrow.
Rejoice, kind mentor of our souls.
Rejoice, you have inscribed the Cross of Christ in your heart.
Rejoice, for showing us the path of salvation by uncomplainingly bearing your cross.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 4
The enemy of the human race, the Great Martyr Eustathius, raised a storm of fierce persecution and troubles against you: but you, like the Long-Suffering Job, accepted all the hardships sent down to you, without a murmur, and cried out to God, who strengthened you: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing the prayers offered to Him by the Lord, He graciously gave you help and consolation, Eustathia; You, inflamed with love for God and your neighbors, endured the grief of the deprivation of your wife and children with humility and meekness, giving thanks to God for everything. We, marveling at your patience, sing to you with tenderness:
Rejoice, unshakable pillar of faith.
Rejoice, indestructible shield of Christians.
Rejoice, treasure inexhaustible of miracles.
Rejoice, inexhaustible source of healing.
Rejoice, for you strengthen the faithful in piety.
Rejoice, for you taught us to endure all sorrows with humility.
Rejoice, you who were the repository of God’s gifts on earth.
Rejoice, you who have acquired the Kingdom of Heaven through a virtuous life.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 5
You, the Great Martyr Eustathius, appeared as a God-bearing star leading to the knowledge of the life of the humble and wise: in a foreign land for many years, this valiant commander, in the service of his master, you remained in humility, constantly singing: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing your faith, patience and gratitude for everything, most wonderful Eustathius, we are touched and, honoring your holy memory with love, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, courageous defender of the earthly fatherland.
Rejoice, worthy heir of the heavenly settlements.
Rejoice, for you have had the Lord as your Helper.
Rejoice, for you did not spare your life for your friends.
Rejoice, our warm intercessor before God.
Rejoice, speedy representative for our souls.
Rejoice, pray earnestly for us at the Throne of God.
Rejoice, you have continually cared for those who call on your name.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 6
You appeared as a preacher of faith in Christ in word and deed, holy martyr, by your virtuous life enlightening many idolaters with the light of the truth of Christ and teaching everyone to sing to the true God: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The light of great joy has risen, mercifully sent by the Lord to you, glorious Eustathia, when your family has flown so many times and united together. Singing the wondrous Providence of God revealed to you and your relatives, we call to you:
Rejoice, having pleased Christ with your piety.
Rejoice, you who have great boldness in acquiring Him.
Rejoice, thou who hast been granted deep grace from the King of Glory.
Rejoice, thou crowned with the crown of martyrdom from him.
Rejoice, Saints of the Church, precious beads.
Rejoice, invincible warrior of Christ.
Rejoice, you who do not count the riches of this world into anything.
Rejoice, having received heavenly glory from the Lord.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 7
Although the wicked Adrian sacrificed to an idol, commanded Eustathia to bow down here, thinking that he had granted you victory over your enemies; You answered him that you are a Christian and you faithfully worship the only true God - Jesus Christ, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
The servant of the enemy of the human race, Adrian, showed a new evil, when in his insane anger he commanded you and your wife and your children to be torn to pieces by a beast; Otherwise, it is not possible for us to do harm to you: the beast, having become merciful and cruel, is pacified by the grace of God. For this reason, glorifying the Lord, who is wondrous in His saints, we cry out to you with love:
Rejoice, you have put to shame the wicked by your confession of the true God.
Rejoice, imputing the tormentor’s reproaches to nothing.
Rejoice, service to the exterminator of idols.
Rejoice, planter of Christian piety.
Rejoice, you who expose the deception of demons.
Rejoice, thou who accomplished the feat of martyrdom well.
Rejoice, thy soul, in order to save it, having lost it for Christ's sake.
Rejoice, having gained an inheritance with the saints in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 8
It is strange for those who do not believe in Christ and are ignorant of the power of God to see and hear how in a weak human body it is possible to endure such torments for Christ: for you, the long-suffering Eustathius, at the command of the wicked hegemon, were thrown with his wife and children into a red-hot copper ox, in which you , enduring severe torment, they sang to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
You were filled with all divine joy, holy martyr, and, filled with love for Christ the Lord of grief, you courageously flowed to death for the name of Christ. We, remembering the sufferings of you and your family and praising your great patience, say:
Rejoice, preacher of the true God.
Rejoice, prayer books warm to God.
Rejoice, you who have followed Christ with strong faith.
Rejoice, having been buried by the death of Christ as a martyr.
Rejoice, you who have entered into the joy of your Lord.
Rejoice, you who have inherited an eternal life through many sorrows.
Rejoice, for the doors of heaven have opened to you.
Rejoice, for you have settled in the villages of the righteous forever.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 9
Seeing your faithful body, the all-praised martyrs, found unharmed in the fires, praising God, glorifying His saints, and falling to your saints with your relics, hurriedly sang a funeral song: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The centuries of multi-proclamation will not be able to speak worthy of praise to you, holy martyrs, and to know the power of Christ, with which you, as if clothed in armor, are clothed with armor. We, praising the exploits of your sufferings, which you naturally courageously endured for the faith of Christ, sing to you this:
Rejoice, Eustathia, strengthening of pious families.
Rejoice, affirmation of the home church.
Rejoice, Theopistia, praise to wives and mothers.
Rejoice, marriage of the Christian diadimo.
Rejoice, Agapie, consolation to virtuous parents.
Rejoice, decoration of a chaste life.
Rejoice, Theopiste, called with your companions to the feast of the Lord.
Rejoice, with them the King of glory crowned with the crown of martyrdom.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 10
Although the Lord Jesus Christ glorify you, holy martyrs Eustathia, Theopistia, Agapia and Theopiste, inspire Saint Constantine to create a church at the site of your martyrdom, so that all who flow to your multi-healing power will receive quick help from you, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
The wall of intercession from all troubles and misfortunes, having found you, the all-praised martyr, we earnestly send thanks to the Heavenly Father for all His good deeds, which you, unworthy, show to us; to you, our warm prayer book, we bring the chic:
Rejoice, steadfast pillars of the Church of Christ.
Rejoice, united by the love of Christ.
Rejoice, companions of the Angels of God in heaven.
Rejoice, those who call you to the land of the speedy helper.
Rejoice, you who are our intercessors for the Kingdom of Christ.
Rejoice, warm intercession of us to God.
Rejoice, even after your death you will not leave us.
Rejoice, you who guide us on the path of salvation.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 11
Accept the all-contrite singing, now offered by us, holy martyrs, for you, having offered yourself a fragrant sacrifice to the Lord, sang to him naturally until your last breath the song: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
The radiant stars appeared naturally in the church sky, the all-validated martyrs, among whom you, the all-valid Eustathia, shine brightly; For this reason, accept this praise from us:
Rejoice, for you have seen the glory of the Trisian Deity face to face.
Rejoice, for we too have striven to be enlightened by the light of Divine truth.
Rejoice, guide the faithful on the path of salvation.
Rejoice, instruct sinners to repentance.
Rejoice, for through your relics you exude miracles.
Rejoice, for you dwell invisibly in the temples created to glorify your name.
Rejoice, invisible traveling companion.
Rejoice, you are a quick helper to all who call upon you.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 12
The grace given to you from God, the leading, passion-bearing Eustathia of Christ, we worship with reverence and love your multi-healing power, from which healing is accepted for the sick and in sorrows we accept: in the same way, and according to our heritage, we glorify you, our heavenly intercessor, singing about you to the Lord: Alleluia .
Ikos 12
Singing your many and glorious miracles, Great Martyr Eustathius, we bless you together with your wife and your children, as our intercessors and prayer books before God, and we pray to you: be an assistant to us in everything for the good, who earnestly cry out to you:
Rejoice, high praise for the martyrs.
Rejoice, many-sung glory of confessors.
Rejoice, healer of various diseases.
Rejoice, you grant relief to those who are ill.
Rejoice, teacher of brotherly love.
Rejoice, preacher of repentance.
Rejoice, look down on us from heaven.
Rejoice, help us invisibly.
Rejoice, Great Martyr Eustathius, prayer book for our souls.
Kontakion 13
O all-praised great martyr of Christ Eustathius, accept from us this praise, offered to you with love, and by your intercession at the Throne of the Lord Almighty ask us from all mental and physical ailments, from visible and invisible enemies and eternal torment, so that we may be with you in the future Let us sing to God: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1).
Prayer
O glorious, holy and long-suffering great martyr of Christ Eustathius! Hear us, sinners and unworthy, who celebrate your holy memory. Ask us from the Lord with your many-powerful prayers for grace, even for salvation, and for all the sins we have committed, forgiveness, the prosperity of the earth, a peaceful dispensation for the world and freedom from the fierce machinations of the devil, the Christian end of our life and the peaceful passage to heaven through airy ordeals, you You have received this grace from the Lord to pray for us, and if you desire help for us who honor your sacred memory, you can do everything. Do not despise us, the unworthy, passion-bearing saint, and ask from the Lord all that is good and useful to our souls, so that we too may be worthy to glorify and glorify His all-holy and magnificent name in the worldly Kingdom of Heaven, where there is the dwelling place of all saints, forever and ever. Amen.