Today, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Luke and Peter the Reverend and the Martyrs Eupsychios and Sozon.
We are also celebrating today the pre-requisites of the Birth of the Virgin Mary.
The Saint Martyr Sozon came from the Lycaonian region of Asia Minor and lived in the 3rd century AD. He was a pagan and shepherd in the profession, but was soon baptized a Christian and took the name Sozon. He was a man of virtue and godliness. He studied the Scriptures and preached the word of the Gospel for the benefit of the faithful. One day he entered a pagan temple where he saw a statue made out of gold and silver. Then, he cut off one hand of the statue and after selling it distributed the money to the poor. The ruler of the region, when he learned of what had happened, began to arrest and punish the Christians.
Then Saint Sozon, without regretting his act, presented himself to the ruler and confessed his faith in Christ the Savior. After much torture, he surrendered his spirit to God.
Today, the Church is preparing us spiritually for tomorrow’s Great Feast of the Nativity of Virgin Mary. The birth of Mariam by the righteous Joachim and Anna brought joy to all mankind, for the Virgin gave birth to The Son and Word of God and Savior of the world. Solved the curse of disobedience of the first Eve and brought blessing to the human race.
We also honor a new Saint today, Saint Daniel Katounakiotis, whose holiness that God crowned him with was recently ascertained and proclaimed by the conscience of the faithful of the Church.
Source: Church of Cyprus
