Feast Day: December 19th
The Life of Saint Boniface and Saint Aglais: The sins of the one were washed away by his blood, the other was purified by her tears and asceticism…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: The boast of Martyrs, you followed fervently, you confessed Christ before the unfaithful valiantly, O wise Boniface, therefore as an inexhaustible treasure, O Martyr, you gave your body to the Righteous Aglais, from which the world is watered with deliverance and mercy.
Kontakion: Thou didst offer up thyself of thine own choosing as a spotless sacrifice to Him that for thy sake, O Saint, shall soon be born of a Virgin Maid, O All-renowned and wise Crown-bearer Boniface.
Saint Boniface was the slave of Saint Aglaida, they loved each other very much and lived in sin together, which stinged their conscience. Saint Aglaida asked Saint Boniface to go retrieve some Holy Relics of the Martyrs who were being killed for their faith in Christ, because she heard the Holy Relics help us to live a virtuous life.
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As he was leaving, Boniface laughed and asked, “My lady, if I do not find any Relics, and if I myself suffer for Christ, will you accept my body with reverence?” Aglaida scolded him, saying that he was setting off on a Sacred mission, but he was not taking it seriously. Boniface pondered her words, and during the whole journey he thought that he was unworthy of touching the bodies of the Martyrs.
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Saint Boniface, seeing the horrible torments the Holy Martyrs were enduring, but also noticing the Grace of God in them, reverently kissed their feet and asked them to Pray that he would be worthy to suffer with them.
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Appearing before the judge, Saint Boniface declared “I am a Christian”, and upon refusing to offer sacrifice to idols, he was stripped and hung upsidedown, beaten and horribly tortured over two days, but he Miraculously remained unharmed and witnesses shouted “Great is the God of the Christians!” He received the Crown of Martyrdom when he was finally beheaded.
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The companions of Saint Boniface learned of his Martyrdom by an eyewitness, and began to return home with the Holy Relics of Saint Boniface. On the evening before their arrival an Angel of God appeared to Saint Aglaida telling her to “prepare herself to receive her former slave, now the brother and fellow-servant of the Angels.” Saint Aglaida received the Holy Relics with great reverence, and built a Church at his grave dedicating it to Saint Boniface. She then lived her life in a Monastery for fifteen years in Prayer, poverty and fasting, and upon her falling asleep she was buried beside Saint Boniface.
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