Feast Day: September 20th
The Life of Saint Eustathios, Saint Theopista, Saint Agapios and Saint Theopistos: Then she came to recognize the commander as her husband, and with tears she told him about herself and about the two soldiers who were actually their sons. Thus, through the great Mercy of the Lord, the whole family was happily reunited…
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Prayers
Kontakion: O Blest one, since thou didst emulate Christ’s sufferings and drankest His cup with eagerness, thou didst become a partaker and joint-heir of His Glory, O wise Eustathios; and since He is God of all things, He gave thee Divine power from Heaven’s heights.
Doxastikon: O adamantine in Soul, how can we rightly praise you? For you surpassed nature when you were deprived of your wealth and your children and your spouse, as you cried out with the Blessed and ever-memorable voice of Job: “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, may the Lord be Glorified.” And this is what happened, for you loved God, and fervently desired Him, and again to you was given those whom you loved, who providentially became your fellow athletes, with whom you suffered many tortures and reached your Blessed end, as you received them as your fellow intercessors, O Eustathios, steadfast in Soul. We entreat you that we be delivered from our offences.
Hymn of Praise by Saint Nikolai Velimerovich: Eustathios, a wonder among generals, gave his life for the Living Lord. Authority and glory and royal honour he discarded as refuse and chaff, for the sake of Christ, the Immortal King, for the sake of True Eternal Life. When the Voice of Jesus greeted him, he was infused with ardent love for Christ the All-Glorious God, the All-Glorious Lover of Mankind. That Voice remained deep in his Soul, and the world could not drown it out; and the radiant Cross which the general saw, never left his Soul. The Cross gave him wondrous fearlessness. The Cross saved him from the enemy’s power, and saved his spouse, faithful as a rock, and his children, heroic and virtuous. Eustathios gave his body over to the fire, and his blessed spirit to the Lord. O Eustathios, glorious Martyr, invincible soldier of Christ, help and strengthen the Church of God that the malicious demon not slander it. Let the Church shine as a star, and Glorify her Sun, Christ.
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Saint Eustathios together with fellow soldiers of Christ Saint Demetrios, Saint George, Saint Eustathios, Saint Theodore.
