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| St. Demetrios of Thrace (Feast Day - November 15) |
Verses
Demetrios is beheaded at the hands of the executioner,
In the land of the athletes of the Lord he dances.
Saint Demetrios lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian (286-305), and was from the village of Davoudio, which was near the city of Amapasos. When he was brought before the pagan governor Pomplius for being a Christian, he boldly proclaimed his faith in Christ our God. And through the Holy Spirit he taught everyone who stood around there about the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, His unspeakable economy, as well as His all around goodness and philanthropy, and he also taught them about the deceptiveness of idolatry, and how the idols are deaf and dumb together with those who worship them.
This enraged the governor, and he ordered for Demetrios to be beheaded by the sword. Having been perfected in this manner, his desire was fulfilled and he received a heavenly crown from Christ. Pious Christians then took his body and buried him with honor and reverence, and shortly thereafter his grave became a source of miracles.