Feast Day: November 25th
The Life of Saint Mercurius: The Angel of the Lord appeared again to the Holy warrior, who had received great honours and riches, and reminded him by Whom the victory had been given. He also told General Mercurius that he would suffer for Christ, and would receive a Crown of Victory in His Kingdom. Mercurius recalled that his father Gordian had also Confessed the Christian Faith. Although the Saint had been Baptized, he felt he had not devoted his life to God as his father and grandfather had done. Thus, he was weeping and lamenting when he was summoned before the emperor…
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Prayers
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone: Partaker of Heavenly Light, an Angel was your guide to manifest Glory O Mercurius. You contested as a warrior for the Immortal King, struggling beyond nature as a brave soldier. Protect those who hasten to you, O Glessed one.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone: Arrayed with the Power of Christ as a Divine breastplate, you excelled as an athlete and enlighten those who cry out: Rejoice O boast of Martyrs, Mercurius.
Megalynarion: Perceived as an all-comely youth, you were made notable as a Soldier of the Master, in the natural prime of life you blossomed in the contest, Divinely-minded Mercurius, Glorified by Christ.
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Saint Basil the Great once gathered the Christians and told them all to fast for three days. Then they all ascended the mountain of Caesarea named Didymos, because it had two peaks. On that mountain was a Church of the Most-Holy Theotokos, where all the Christians, when they reached it, began with contrite heart to entreat the Merciful Christ and His Most-Pure Mother, not to permit the emperor Julian the Apostate to return from his war against the Persians and resume his oppression of Christians. Then as they were continuing in Prayer, Saint Basil saw a multitude of Heavenly Armies circle the mountain and among them was a woman sitting on a Throne with much Glory, who said to the Angels that were around: “Call Mercurius to me, that he go and put to death the enemy, Julian, of my Son!” Then the Archbishop of Caesarea saw that the Martyr Mercurius came armed with his weapon, and having received the command from that woman who was the Most-Holy Theotokos, he disappeared immediately! At this very moment Julian the Apostate, on his Persian campaign, was wounded by the spear of an unknown soldier, who immediately disappeared. The mortally wounded Julian, as he lay dying, cried out, “Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!” Saint Basil awoke from the Vision right away and together with some Clerics he descended immediately to the city of Caesarea, where the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Mercurius was located, in which was found his Holy Relic and his weapons, as Saint Mercurius was Martyred there a hundred years before. Archbishop Basil entered this Church and not seeing the Relic or the weapons, he asked the protector of the Relics of the Church what occurred. He of course did not know anything. Then the Great Basil understood that it was a true Vision and that the most impious Julian would be killed that night. Immediately, the Holy Metropolitan again ascended the mountain and told the Christians: “Rejoice and be glad today, my bretheren. Our Prayer was heard, because the infamous king suffers the appropriate punishment. Therefore giving thanks to God, let’s return to the city…” The Most Holy Theotokos, through the Prayers of Saint Basil, had sent Saint Mercurius to defend the Christians from the apostate Julian.
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