ON THE EIGHT HOLY ANCHORITES,
MARTYRS AMONG THE GREEKS.
CommentaryEight Anchorites, Martyrs among the Greeks (SS.)
G. H.
The Greeks conclude this 25th day of April in the Menaea and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, with the martyrdom of these Anchorites, concerning whom they have this: "Tē autē hēmera mnēmē tōn hosiōn paterōn oktō anachōritōn kai Martyrōn." Cult among the Greeks, "On the same day, memory of the holy Fathers, the eight Anchorites and Martyrs." And this distich is added in the Menaea, by which the manner of martyrdom is indicated:
"Oktō synekkoptousin andrōn auchenas, Hypo zygon son tous damasthentas, Loge."
"Together they cut down the necks of eight men, Necks tamed beneath your yoke, O Word."
Thus far the Menaea, without the time or place of the martyrdom being indicated, so that it is difficult to conjecture on what occasion they obtained martyrdom. The occasion of the martyrdom is hidden. Very many monks and anchorites were driven into exile or suffered martyrdom under the Iconoclast Emperors in the eighth and ninth centuries of Christ. Under the Emperor Anastasius, in the 22nd year of his reign, of Christ 513, Theophanes in his Chronography hands down that all the orthodox, and especially the monks, were averse to the heresy of Severus the intruded Bishop of Antioch; and many of them were killed. In the preceding year Saint Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople, had been cast into exile, and died there in the year 516. What if, on the occasion of the latter referred in the Menaea to this day, these eight Anchorites then killed had been added? But very many other occasions could have befallen in which these Saints, in hatred of the defended Christian faith, were put to death.