Feast Day: December 18th
The Life of Saint Sebastian: So Saint Sebastian persuaded the brothers to go through with their act of Martyrdom, and his speech stirred everyone present. They saw how his face shone like that of an Angel, and they saw how seven Angels clothed him in a radiant garment, and heard a fair Youth say, “You shall be with Me always.”…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: O Sebastian, spurning the assemblies of the wicked, you gathered the wise Martyrs who with you cast down the enemy; and standing worthily before the Throne of God, you gladden those who cry to you: Glory to Him who has strengthened you! Glory to Him who has granted you a Crown! Glory to Him Who through you works healing for all!
Kontakion: Since thou wast great in zeal for Godly religion, thou didst assemble an alliance of Martyrs, and in their midst, thou shonest like a flashing star. With the arrows that did pierce thy much-suffering body, thou didst slay the enemy, O Great Martyr Sebastian; and thou thyself didst fly as from a bow into the Heavens, where Christ hath received thy Soul.
Hymn of Praise by Saint Nikolai Velimivorich: Holy Sebastian was covered with arrows- with a hair shirt of arrows his body was clothed. But, beneath the arrows, his Soul was unscathed; his heart was raised to the Heavens in Prayer. Sebastian endured suffering for Christ. What are mighty kingdoms, what are great riches, compared with this honour, compared with this illumination- to be struck by arrows for the sake of the Living God? Wonderful Sebastian desired this: to be crucified for the Crucified Saviour, to confirm the Truth by suffering and blood, to witness the Faith before Heaven and Earth. The All-seeing Lord, Who sees all creation, measured and counted every drop of blood, and rewarded Sebastian in the Eternal Kingdom, showering him with Blessings without measure. O Martyr most-glorious, who suffered for Christ, and by your suffering enlarged the Church: Pray to God for the Church on Earth, that it become ever more beautiful, and all the more great.
“O valiant warriors of Christ! Do not cast away your everlasting Crowns of Victory because of the tears of your relatives. Do not remove your feet from the necks of your enemies who lie prostrate before you, lest they regain their strength and attack you more fiercely than before. Raise your banner high over every Earthly attachment. If those whom you see weeping knew that there is another life where there is neither sickness nor death, where there is unceasing gladness and everything is beautiful, then assuredly they would wish to enter it with you. Anyone who fears to exchange this brief Earthly life for the unending joys of the Heavenly Kingdom is foolish indeed. For he who rejects Eternity wastes the brief time of his existence, and will be delivered to everlasting torment in Hades.”
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