Dear Friends,
Two days after the Feast of the Theophany, there is the commemoration of St Isidore the Hieromartyr and 72 of his parishioners in Dorpats, Estonia
Having blessed the waters of the Jordan, St Isidore and 72 of his parishioners were arrested by crusaders. They could get their freedom if they became Latin Catholics and they steadfastly refused.
On January 21st, St Isidore and his parishioners, among whom were men, women and children, were all thrown into the freezing waters at the very spot where, two days before, they stood to celebrate the feast of the Theophany!
They were and are venerated even by Eastern Catholics and Fr. Holweck in his Dictionary of the Saints refers to them as martyrs for their "Rite and nationality."
Here is a translation of the first Kontakion of the Akathist to St Isidore:
"Come you faithful, and let us praise in hymns the Hieromartyr Isidore and with him the 72 martyrs who suffered in our city for the Holy Orthodox Church, to confirm us in her true and holy faith, to urge us to obey the teachings of our fathers and for us to live in accordance with the Lord's commandments and so, having completed this life, to obtain eternal life with the hymn: Rejoice, Isidore, firm guardian of the Orthodox faith!
Ikos I
In Yuriev, the city of Livonia, which was founded by Prince Yaroslav the Godly-Wise, there were constructed two Cathedrals: In honour of the Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas and the Holy Great-Martyr George. The priests Isidore and John, fervently dedicated to the Orthodox faith, served God in them. Seeing their blessed lives and loving observing their strong faith, wishing to emulate them, we sinners joyfully sing:
Rejoice, Isidore, our good shepherd!
Rejoice, O teacher of the true faith!
Rejoice, icon of the Christian life!
Rejoice, calm and holy pastor!
Rejoice, all-wise leader of our people!
Rejoice, indicating the way of life to youth!
Rejoice, great leader of men and women!
Rejoice, support and joy of the elderly!
Rejoice, Isidore, firm guardian of the Orthodox faith!
Alex
