Απολυτίκιο του Αγ. Αγαθονίκου – 22 ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΥ
TROPARUL ŞI VIAŢA SF. AGATONIC
22 august
Pomenirea Sfântului Mucenic Agatonic si a celor împreuna cu dânsul: Zotic, Zinon, Teoprepie, Achindin si Severian.
Mucenicul lui Hristos Agatonic a trait în zilele împaratului Maximian (284-305), si era dintr-o familie buna si cunoscuta, cea a Hypasienilor.
Un orecare comis, anume Evtolmie, a fost trimis în Nicomidia de împaratul, ca sa omoare pe crestini. Si mergând cu o corabie, a sosit la limanul Carpin, si acolo aflând pe Sfântul Zotic cu ucenicii lui, care marturiseau pe Hristos, i-a osândit la moarte prin cruce.
Dupa aceea întorcându-se la Nicomidia, si aflând ca cel ce era principe a crezut printr-un oarecare Agatonic, care întorcea pe pagâni de la închinarea la idoli, si-i aducea la Hristos, a trimis si i-a prins pe amândoi. Pe Sfântul Agatonic l-a batut rau, iar pe principe l-a adus în Tracia unde se afla împaratul, ca sa dea seama la dânsul. Si ajungând la satul Patamo, a omorât pe Sfântul Zinon, pe Teoprepie si pe Achindin (icoana sfântului Achindin), cu cumplite chinuri, caci nu puteau sa mai umble din pricina ranilor.
Dupa aceea apropiindu-se la Calcedon, a omorât cu sabia si pe Sfântul Severian care propovaduia cu îndrazneala pe Hristos.
Iar la Bizant, stând înaintea lui, Agatonic cu cei ce erau împreuna cu dânsul legati si cu printul, si scotându-l afara din cetate, l-a chinuit rau. Sosind la Silivria (Selimbria) la locul ce-l zis Amus, unde era Maximian, li s-au taiat capetele lui Agatonic împreuna si printului si celorlalti crestini, câti adusese comitul din Nicomidia. Si asa au luat cununa muceniciei.
Ὁ μάρτυρας Ἀγαθόνικος ἦταν ἀπὸ τὴ Νικομήδεια, καὶ τὸν συνέλαβε ὁ κόμης Εὐτόλμιος, ὁ ὁποῖος, ὅταν ἐπέστρεφε ἀπὸ τὴν περιοδεία του στὸν Πόντο, ὅπου εἶχε πάει γιὰ νὰ καταδιώξει χριστιανούς, στὴν Κάρπη βρῆκε τὸν Ζωτικό, ποὺ τὸν θανάτωσε μαζὶ μὲ τοὺς μαθητές του.
Ἐκεῖ ἔμαθε ὅτι ὁ πρίγκιπας τῆς πόλης ἔγινε χριστιανὸς ἀπὸ κάποιο Ἀγαθόνικο. Τότε, συνέλαβε τὸν πρίγκιπα καὶ τὸν Ἀγαθόνικο, καὶ ἀφοῦ τοὺς τιμώρησε μαζὶ μὲ ἄλλους χριστιανούς, κατόπιν ὅλους μαζὶ τοὺς ὁδήγησε στὸν βασιλιά, ποὺ βρισκόταν στὴ Θρᾴκη. Ἀλλὰ στὸ δρόμο, κοντὰ σὲ ἕνα χωριὸ ὀνομαζόμενο Ποταμός, σκότωσε τοὺς Ζήνωνα, Θεοπρέπιο, Ἀκίνδυνο καὶ Σεβηριανό, διότι ἀπὸ τὶς πολλὲς πληγὲς ποὺ εἶχαν στὰ πόδια τους, δὲν μποροῦσαν πλέον νὰ βαδίσουν. Ὅταν ἔφθασε στὸ χωριὸ Ἄμμους κοντὰ στὴ Σιλυβρία, μὲ βασιλικὴ διαταγὴ ἀποκεφάλισε, ἔτσι ὅπως τοὺς εἶχε δεμένους, τὸν Ἀγαθόνικο, τὸν πρίγκιπα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους χριστιανούς.
Ἔτσι, ὅλοι ἀκολούθησαν τὸ παράδειγμα τοῦ ἐσφαγμένου Ἀρνίου, τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἄξια θὰ συναριθμηθοῦν μ’ αὐτοὺς ποὺ θὰ εἶναι «γεγραμμένοι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου». Δηλαδή, μὲ αὐτοὺς ποὺ θὰ εἶναι γραμμένοι στὸ βιβλίο τῆς αἰώνιας ζωῆς τοῦ Ἀρνίου, δηλαδὴ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Ἀπολυτίκιο. Ἦχος γ’. Θείας πίστεως.
Νίκης τρόπαιον, κατὰ τῆς πλάνης, Ἀγαθόνικε, λαμπρὸν ἐγείρας, τῶν ἀφθάρτων ἀγαθῶν κατηξίωσαι· τοῦ γὰρ Δεσπότου ζηλώσας τὸν θάνατον, τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς ὤφθης μέτοχος. Μάρτυς ἔνδοξε, Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.
Κοντάκιον Ἦχος α’. Χορὸς ἀγγελικός.
Τὴν κλῆσιν ἀγαθήν, κεκτημένος θεόφρον, ἀνδρῶν τῶν πονηρῶν, ἀπεστράφης τὸ σέβας, μὴ πτήξας τὰ βάσανα, Ἀγαθόνικε ἔνδοξε· ὅθεν γέγονας, τῶν ἀγαθῶν κληρονόμος, καὶ ἀπέλαβες, σὺν τοῖς συνάθλοις ἀξίως, τὸν ἄφθαρτον στέφανον.
Μεγαλυνάριον.
Χαίροις ἈγαθόνικεἈθλητά, ὁ κληρονομήσας, τὰ οὐράνια ἀγαθά· ἐν οἷς συγχορεύων, σὺν τοῖς συναθληταῖς σου, μὴ παύσῃ μνημονεύων, τῶν εὐφημούντων σε.
The Martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severian, Zeno and others accepted death for Christ during the reign of the emperor Maximian (284-305).
The Martyr Agathonicus was descended from the illustrious lineage of the Hypasians, and he lived at Nicomedia. Well versed in Holy Scripture, he converted many pagans to Christ, including the most eminent member of the Senate (its „princeps” or leader). Comitus Eutolmius was sent to the Pontine (lower Black Sea) region, where he crucified the followers of the Christian Zoticus, who had refused to offer sacrifice to idols. He took Zoticus with him.
In Nicomedia, Eutolmius arrested the Martyr Agathonicus (together with the princeps), and also Theoprepius, Acindynus and Severian. After tortures, Eutolmius ordered that the martyrs be taken to Thrace for trial by the emperor.
But along the way, in the vicinity of Potama, the Martyrs Zoticus, Theoprepius and Acindynus were unable to proceed further behind the chariot of the governor because of wounds received duringtorture. Therefore, they were put to death. The Martyr Severian was put to death at Chalcedon, and the Martyr Agathonicus together with others was beheaded with the sword by order of the emperor, in Selymbria.
The relics of the Martyr Agathonicus were in a church named for him at Constantinople, and were seen in the year 1200 by the Russian pilgrim Anthony. And in the fourteenth century Philotheus, the archbishop of Selymbria, devoted an encomium to the Martyr Agathonicus.