Feast Day: September 7th
The Life of Saint Sozon: Saint Sozon replied, “I did this so that you might know that your ‘god’ is powerless. When I struck off his hand, he did not protest or make any attempt to stop me, nor did he cry out with pain. How could he? Your idol is deaf and dumb and without breath. It cannot see, hear, speak, or defend itself. If your ‘god’ was real, I would not have been permitted to break it.”…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: O Martyr Sozon, thou didst pledge thy life to God, endure the contest and become a sharer in Christ’s Passion. Save from temptation those who cry to thee: Glory to Him Who strengthened thee; Glory to Him Who Crowned thee; Glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.
Kontakion: As we come together on this day, let us acclaim with a great voice Sozon, the true and God-bearing Martyr, the approved athlete of godliness, the Divine initiate of Grace, the most bountiful bestower of healings; for he intercedeth with God for us all.
Saint Sozon worked as a shepherd of sheep, and he tried to imitate the meekness of the sheep. He often marvelled: “I am ashamed, that I am inferior to sheep.” Saint Sozon studied the Holy Scriptures and he was also a shepherd of Souls, instructing his pagan peers and friends in the Faith of Jesus Christ.
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Saint Sozon was shown in a vision that he would suffer Martyrdom for Christ.
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Maximian asked the Saint how he dared to dishonour their “god” in such a way. Sozon replied:
“I did this so that you might know that your ‘god’ is powerless. When I struck off his hand, he did not protest or make any attempt to stop me, nor did he cry out with pain. How could he? Your idol is deaf and dumb and without breath. It cannot see, hear, speak, or defend itself. If your ‘god’ was real, I would not have been permitted to break it.”
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