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Αύτη ήτον δουλεύτρα μιας γυναικός Εβραίας,
Παντίλλης ονομαζομένης, η οποία ήτον σύζυγος ενός αρχιστρατήγου εν τη πόλει της
Θεσσαλονίκης. Όταν δε η κυρά της επήγαινεν εις την Συναγωγήν των Εβραίων,
ηκολούθει μεν εις αυτήν και η Ματρώνα, μέσα όμως εις την Συναγωγήν δεν
έμβαινεν, αλλά εγύριζε και επήγαινεν εις την Εκκλησίαν των Χριστιανών. Επειδή
δε εφανερώθη εις την κυράν της τούτο οπού έκανε, δια τούτο εδάρθη η μακαρία
ανελεήμονα, και εκλείσθη μέσα εις φυλακήν. Είτα ευγάλεται από την φυλακήν, και
πάλιν δέρνεται, και πάλιν κλείεται εις την φυλακήν. Εκεί δε διαπεράσασα ημέρας
πολλάς, παρέδωκε την ψυχήν της εις χείρας Θεού. Λέγουσι δε, ότι το άγιον αυτής
λείψανον ενταφιάσθη εντίμως. Η δε κυρά της Παντίλλα, εγλύστρισεν επάνω από το
τείχος, και έπεσε κάτω εις ένα υπολήνιον, όπου χύνεται ο μούστος, και εκεί
κατέστρεψε την ζωήν, και έλαβε κατά το παρόν την αξίαν καταδίκην παρά Θεού.
One day Pantilla, learning that Matrona had been to church, asked, "Why won't you come to our synagogue, instead of attending the Christian church?" Matrona boldly answered, "Because God is present in the Christian church, but He has departed from the Jewish synagogue." Pantilla went into a rage and mercilessly beat Matrona, tied her up, and shut her in a dark prison cell. In the morning, Pantilla discovered that Matrona had been freed of her bonds by an unknown Power.
In a rage Pantilla beat the Martyr almost to death, then bound her even more tightly and locked her in the cell. The door was sealed so that no one could help the sufferer. The holy Martyr remained there for four days without food or water, and when Pantilla opened the door, she again found Matrona free of her bonds, unharmed and standing at prayer.
Again Pantilla flogged the holy Martyr and left the skin hanging in strips from her body. The fierce woman locked her in the cell again, where Matrona gave up her spirit to God after fourteen days of beatings and starvation.
Pantilla had a soldier wrap up her body and the holy Martyr's body was taken and thrown over the walls of the city. Christians took up the much-suffered body of the holy Martyr and buried it along the Via Egnatia. Later, when the persecutions against the Christians had ended, Bishop Alexander of Thessaloniki built a church dedicated to the holy Martyr over the spot she was buried. Her holy relics, glorified by many miracles, were placed in this church.
The judgment of God soon overtook the wicked Pantilla. Standing by a retaining wall, she fell into a vat where, after grapes are pressed and trodden, new wine is collected. Her body was smashed, and so she received her just reward for her sin.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
With undaunted spirit you preserved the Faith, and your soul, Matrona, was not enslaved by the cruelty of your torturers. You excelled in contest, slaying the crafty one and were mystically wedded to the Lord of creation. Fervently entreat him to deliver us from all harm.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Filled with the light of the Spirit, O Matrona, you regarded your prison cell as a bridal chamber; and from it you hastened to your radiant dwelling in the heavens, crying out: "In divine love for You, O Word, I gladly endured scourgings.”
Άγιος Νικόδημος
Αγιορείτης
***
March 27: Holy
Martyr Matrona of Thessaloniki
The Holy Martyr
Matrona of Thessaloniki suffered in the early centuries of Christianity, when
Christianity was a persecuted faith. She was a maidservant of the Jewish woman
Pantilla (or Pautilla), wife of one of the military commanders of Thessaloniki.
Pantilla constantly mocked her servant for her faith in Christ, and tried to
convert her to Judaism. Matrona, who believed in Christ from her youth, still
prayed to the Savior Christ. When her mistress would go to the synagogue of the
Jews, Matrona would not enter but she secretly sneaked away to the Christian
church to worship there.One day Pantilla, learning that Matrona had been to church, asked, "Why won't you come to our synagogue, instead of attending the Christian church?" Matrona boldly answered, "Because God is present in the Christian church, but He has departed from the Jewish synagogue." Pantilla went into a rage and mercilessly beat Matrona, tied her up, and shut her in a dark prison cell. In the morning, Pantilla discovered that Matrona had been freed of her bonds by an unknown Power.
In a rage Pantilla beat the Martyr almost to death, then bound her even more tightly and locked her in the cell. The door was sealed so that no one could help the sufferer. The holy Martyr remained there for four days without food or water, and when Pantilla opened the door, she again found Matrona free of her bonds, unharmed and standing at prayer.
Again Pantilla flogged the holy Martyr and left the skin hanging in strips from her body. The fierce woman locked her in the cell again, where Matrona gave up her spirit to God after fourteen days of beatings and starvation.
Pantilla had a soldier wrap up her body and the holy Martyr's body was taken and thrown over the walls of the city. Christians took up the much-suffered body of the holy Martyr and buried it along the Via Egnatia. Later, when the persecutions against the Christians had ended, Bishop Alexander of Thessaloniki built a church dedicated to the holy Martyr over the spot she was buried. Her holy relics, glorified by many miracles, were placed in this church.
The judgment of God soon overtook the wicked Pantilla. Standing by a retaining wall, she fell into a vat where, after grapes are pressed and trodden, new wine is collected. Her body was smashed, and so she received her just reward for her sin.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
With undaunted spirit you preserved the Faith, and your soul, Matrona, was not enslaved by the cruelty of your torturers. You excelled in contest, slaying the crafty one and were mystically wedded to the Lord of creation. Fervently entreat him to deliver us from all harm.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Filled with the light of the Spirit, O Matrona, you regarded your prison cell as a bridal chamber; and from it you hastened to your radiant dwelling in the heavens, crying out: "In divine love for You, O Word, I gladly endured scourgings.”
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