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| St. Mamelchtha of Persia (Feast Day - October 5) |
Verses
"Do now receive me washed O Christ,"
Mamelchtha declared, and she was struck with stones.
Mamelchtha declared, and she was struck with stones.
She was a Persian priestess of the Temple of Artemis, who had a sister that was a Christian. After seeing an Angel of God in a dream, who showed and taught her the Christian mysteries, she awoke frightened, and narrated what happened to her sister. Her sister brought her to the Bishop, who in turn baptized her.
When the Greeks learned of this they were enraged and stoned her to death, while the blessed one was still dressed in the bright clothing of Holy Baptism. After this they cast her into a deep pit, from which the Christians were forced to retrieve her holy relic.
Then the Bishop went to the king of the Persians, and received from him the authority to demolish the Temple of Artemis, in order to build a church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Mamelchtha. Upon doing this, he treasured within the newly-built church her honorable relic.
