ATHENOGENES OF SEBASTIA

In his work “On the Holy Spirit,” written in defense of the Orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, Basil the Great (330–379) cites the testimonies of the Church Fathers, ancient theologians and renowned saints who, in their creations and in life, confessed the deity of the Spirit and glorified Him as God, Basil also mentions the holy martyr Athenogenes of Sebastia: “Everyone who knows the song of Athenogenes, which he left to his disciples as a preventative medicine when he himself hastened to martyrdom, knows what teaching the martyrs had about the Spirit”.

In one of the ancient troparions to the saint, which is not included in our liturgical books, the essence of his feat is briefly outlined. “When you ascended the mountain, you preceded your disciples like light. Having descended from there to the monastery, you did not find your children, and you cried out, blessed one, to the Cross: “Where are my children, O All-Honorable Cross?” Thus, you, long-suffering Athenogenes, poured out your sorrow before the Lord. Therefore, pray to the Lord for us.” The memory of Athenogenes is celebrated on July 29 (16). The saint suffered for Christ during the persecution of Diocletian (284–305). This persecution was long and systematic. Most of the ancient martyrs, whose names are contained in our liturgical calendar, suffered precisely during this persecution.

According to the life, during one of the pagan celebrations in Sebaste, when Athenogenes himself was on the mountain in prayerful solitude, his disciples, ten in number, were captured and taken to the city. Having learned about this, he had the opportunity to hide from his pursuers, but did not do so. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Athenogenes could not suffer for his disciples but decided to suffer with them. And he headed to the city to join their martyrdom. Apparently, he was a wandering bishop who gathered around him a community of apostolic preachers.

The Life gives a touching detail about how a wild deer, once fed by him, came out to meet the saint. The saint blessed the animal “in the name of the Eternal God” to be unharmed by hunters and to have a long and numerous offspring. In farewell to the saint, who was leaving to suffer, the deer “cried human tears”. According to the testimony of the life, every year on the day of remembrance of the saint, this deer appeared with his children and grandchildren at the site of the martyrdom of Athenogenes. Literally fulfilling the words of the blessing of the martyr, each time he left one fawn for the believers so that they could enjoy a meal in memory of the martyr, this lamb who suffered for the faith of the Lamb of God.

So, Saint Basil the Great wrote about the hymn in which the holy martyr, heading towards suffering, sang the Holy Spirit. Obviously, believing that his contemporaries knew what kind of chant he was talking about, he did not provide its text. But a tradition has been preserved, according to which the song that the martyr left for his disciples is the hymn “O Gladsome Light,” which we sing daily at Vespers. “Having come to the setting of the sun, having seen the evening light, we sing of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit of God.” Thus, turning to the One God, glorified in the Trinity, let us remember the martyr Athenogenes.