Feast Day: August 18th
The Life of Saint Florus and Saint Laurus and their Companions: The Saints gathered together the poor, to whom they had given the money, and with their help they tied ropes around the idols from their necks and they cast them towards the ground. Then after they lit many lamps, they Consecrated the temple, and dedicated it to Christ, saying the Troparion for a Consecration, namely the “Glory to You Christ Our God, boast of the Apostles, joy of the Martyrs.”…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: You were practiced in the ways of godliness, and gladly ran your course of Martyrdom, and as illustrious kinsmen you were glorified by Christ. O Florus and Laurus, we praise you as noble athletes, and we cry to you: O Saints, deliver us from all necessities.
Kontakion: Today the universe honours glorious Florus and Laurus as wise, godly Martyrs and champions of Christ. By their Prayers may we receive Grace and Mercy, and be delivered from evil and temptations, and from wrath and affliction on Judgment Day.
Saint Florus and Laurus were Christian twin brothers, stone-cutters and worked in the mines.
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Saint Florus and Saint Laurus learned the art of horsemanship directly from Archangel Michael. They are therefore considered the Patron Saints of horses and horsemanship. In the top half of the Icon you can see Archangel Michael with his arms raised Blessing the twin brothers, and the bottom of the Icon shows a stable full of white horses, with three other early Martyrs associated with horses – the triplets Saint Speusippus, Saint Eleusippus and Saint Meleusippus.
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Saint Florus and Saint Laurus worked to build a temple, but they gave the money to the poor, quickly built the temple then tore it down.
Then after they lit many lamps, they Consecrated the temple, and dedicated it to Christ, saying the Troparion for a Consecration, namely the “Glory to You Christ Our God, boast of the Apostles, joy of the Martyrs.” Before them was processed the Honourable Cross.
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The poor people who received the money and helped to tear down the temple were burned in a furnace, receiving the Crown of Martyrdom. Saint Florus and Saint Laurus were tortured by being tied on a wheel of a cart and their bodies were lacerated. They were then thrown into a well where they Prayed and gave up their Souls to Christ.
When the Saints were shut within there, they entreated God first for those Christians who in the future would remember them and celebrate them. Secondly they entreated God to uphold peace in the world. And third they entreated God to cause the persecution against the Christians to cease.
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