St
Menodora, Nymphodora and Metrodora were three sisters who were martyred during
the reign of Emperor Galerius (305-11).
They lived in Bythinia. They are
celebrated on 10 or 23 September in the liturgical calendar[1].
The three sisters decided that they wanted to renounce life in the
world, live as virgins in a solitary place and live a life of prayer and
fasting. After some time reports began
to spread of their lives because people were healed through their prayers. These reports eventually reached the ears of the
governor of Bithynia who was named Frontonus who ordered that the women be
arrested and brought to him.
Governor Frontonus tried to persuade the women to renounce their
faith but they steadfastly confessed their faith before him, rejecting all his
offers and suggestions. They made it
clear that they were prepared to die for Christ, their heavenly Bridegroom
knowing that death would be their entrance to eternal life, to life in the
presence of their Lord and Saviour.
Frontonus became enraged and took out his anger on St Menodora,
the eldest sister. She was stripped of
her clothing and beaten while at the same time being urged to offer sacrifice
to the gods that her suffering might stop.
She bravely endured the beating and cried out, “Sacrifice? Can you see that I am offering myself as a
sacrifice to my God?” At this they
renewed their attacks and Mendora cried out again, “Lord Jesus Christ, joy of
my heart, my hope, receive my soul in peace.”
With these words she committed herself to the Lord and went to be with
her Heavenly Bridegroom.
Later they brought the two younger sisters, Metrodora and
Nymphodora, and showed them the body of their elder sister. The younger sisters wept over their sister but
still remained steadfast in their faith.
Then Metrodora was tortured.
She died, calling out to her beloved Lord Jesus Christ with her last
breath. They then turned to the third
sister, Nymphodora. They hoped she might
be intimidated by the death of her sisters.
Again Govenor Frontonus urged her to sacrifice to the pagan gods. He tried to encourage her by offering great
rewards and honours but Nymphodora scoffed at his suggestions and she too was
beaten to death.
Tradition suggests that the three martyrs were to be burnt
but a heavy rain extinguished the blaze and lightning struck down Frontonus and
his servant. Christians were allowed to
take the bodies of the three sisters and bury them at the Hot Springs at
Pythias[2]
Some of the relics of these three martyrs are preserved on
Mt. Athos in St Panteleimon Monastery, and the hand of St Metrodora is in the Monastery
of the Pantocrator."[3]
The following hymns are in honour of St Menodora, St Nyphodora and St Metrodora
who bravely continued to hold to their faith even when threatened, beaten and
killed.
Troparion - Tone 4
O Holy Martyrs,
you wisely exchanged horrible torture and bitter death for
Eternal Life!
Three virgins, you confessed the unoriginate[4]
Trinity at an evil council,
And for this reason were slain by the sword,
Following the way of the Lamb who was slain!
Now ever pray for us who commemorate your holy memory!
Troparion - Tone 1
Let all who rejoice at their triumph, honour these three
virgin martyrs,
who are united to God as sisters and who pour forth fair
streams of grace:
Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora,
who were in all things courageous;
they ever pray to the Trinity for us.
Kontakion - Tone 4
Invincible in your struggles for the Holy Trinity,
And through your love for each other as sisters,
you defeated the foe of your spiritual life,
And with the five virgins, entered victoriously into the
Heavenly Mansions
Where you ever rejoice with the angels in the presence of
the King of All!
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ
our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen![5]
For over 1700 years these women have been in the Lord’s
presence. They are part of that “great… cloud of witnesses”[6] I believe women like Menodora, Metrodora and
Nymphodora and all those who have gone before us into the presence of God are
watching and waiting as we live out our faith in Christ in this world. They are part of the ‘Church Triumphal’ that
lives in heaven.
In Revelation, the
last book in the bible, the author is shown those who have been slaughtered
because of their faith in Christ:
“I saw under the altar
the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the
testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice,
“Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge
our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each
given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be
complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who
were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed. [7]”
Surely the souls of martyrs like Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora
are there in heaven awaiting the end of the world and that time when they would
be avenged. A sobering thought.
[1] The icon is copied from: http://christopherklitou.com/icon_10_sept_metrodora_menodora_nymphodora.htm. Nymphodora is also spelt Nymphadora.
[2]
This is the Hot Spring resort of Termal near Yalova. There is a notice stating this fact there to
this day.
[4]
Eternal, ever existent
[6] Hebrews 12:1
[7] Revelation 6:9-11.
See also: “I also saw the souls of those who had been
beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped
the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or
their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Revelation 20:4
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