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| St. Jerusalem of Byzantium (Feast Day - July 26) |
Verses
Jerusalem bears the cutting off of her head,
And now beholds the Jerusalem above.
And now beholds the Jerusalem above.
The Holy Martyr Jerusalem hailed from Byzantium, and during the reign of the Emperor Decius in 250 she entered the Convent of Saint Oraiozele. There she became renowned for her virtues and preached the gospel, helping to convert many to the faith of Christ. For this reason she was seized from the convent, and made to stand in judgment.
There she was demanded to do the following: first, renounce her faith in Christ and sacrifice to the idols; second, she was to marry a certain handsome high-ranking dignitary. Refusing both offers, Jerusalem was flayed alive and made to endure other horrible torments. She finally surrendered her soul to the Lord when they beheaded her, and thus she gained the crown of martyrdom.