Feast Day: March 27th
The Life of Saint Matrona: But you have no power over my Soul, which belongs to God alone…
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Prayers
Apolytikion in the Third Tone: With undaunted spirit you preserved the Faith, and your Soul, Matrona, was not enslaved by the cruelty of your torturers. You excelled in contest, slaying the crafty one and were Mystically wedded to the Lord of Creation. Fervently entreat Him to deliver us from all harm.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone: Filled with the Light of the Spirit, O Matrona, you regarded your prison cell as a bridal chamber; and from it you hastened to your radiant dwelling in the Heavens, crying out: “In Divine love for You, O Word, I gladly endured scourgings.”
A Verse: It is not meet for you to be unknown Martyr Matrona, even though you died secretly in prison. On the twenty-seventh Matrona died in prison.
Matrona replied: “Yes, I am a Christian, but I have always obeyed your orders except in what concerns my Faith. In what way have I failed in your service, for you to be lacerating my body like this? If you want to put me to death because I Worship Jesus Christ, you have complete power over my life. But you have no power over my Soul, which belongs to God alone. I do not fear a single one of your tortures, because Jesus, my Lord and Master, will come to my aid!”
…standing upright with a radiant face and singing God’s praises…
At the moment at which she gave her Soul into Gods keeping, she said: “Lord Jesus, Immaculate Saviour for whom I have endured these torments, I now commend my Spirit into Thy hands; grant that I may be received by Thee among Thy Martyrs!”
