Martyr Timothy the Reader and his wife, Maura, in Egypt (3 May)
Saints Timothy and Maura suffered for the faith during the persecution under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Saint Timothy came from the village of Perapa (Egyptian Thebaid), and was the son of a priest named Pikolpossos. He was made a reader among the church clergy, and also a keeper and copyist of divine service books. Saint Timothy was denounced as a keeper of Christian books, which the emperor ordered to be confiscated and burned. They brought Saint Timothy before the governor Arian, who demanded that he hand over the sacred books. They subjected the saint to horrible tortures for his refusal to obey the command. They shoved two red-hot iron rods into his ears, from which the sufferer lost his eyesight and became blind.
Saint Timothy bravely endured the pain and he gave thanks to God, for granting him to suffer for Him. The torturers hung the saint head downwards, putting a piece of wood in his mouth, and they tied a heavy stone to his neck. Saint Timothy’s suffering was so extreme, that even those who tortured him implored the governor to ease up on the torture.
About this time they informed Arian that Timothy had a young wife named Maura, whom he had married only twenty days before. Arian ordered Maura to be brought, hoping that with her present, they could break Saint Timothy’s will. Saint Timothy urged his wife not to fear the tortures, but to follow his path. Saint Maura answered, “I am prepared to die with you,” and she boldly confessed herself a Christian. Arian commanded that the hair be torn from her head, and to cut the fingers off her hands.
Saint Maura underwent the torment with joy and even thanked the governor for the torture, which she endured so that her sins might be forgiven. Then Arian gave orders to throw Saint Maura into a boiling cauldron, but she did not feel any pain, and she remained unharmed. Suspecting that the servants had filled the cauldron with cold water out of sympathy for the martyr, Arian went up and ordered the saint to splash him on the hand with water from the cauldron. When the martyr did this, Arian screamed with pain and drew back his scalded hand. Then, momentarily admitting the power of the miracle, Arian confessed God in Whom Maura believed as the True God, and he ordered her to be released. But the devil still held great power over the governor, and soon he again began to urge Saint Maura to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Having gotten nowhere, Arian was overcome all the more by a satanic rage and he came up with new tortures. Then the people began to murmur and demand a stop to the abuse of this innocent woman. But Saint Maura, turning to the people, said, “Let no one defend me. I have one Defender, God, in Whom I trust.”
Finally, after torturing them for a long time, Arian ordered the martyrs to be crucified. For ten days they hung on crosses facing each other.
On the tenth day of martyrdom the saints offered up their souls to the Lord. This occurred in the year 286. Later, a solemn celebration of the holy martyrs Timothy and Maura was instituted at Constantinople, and a church was built in their honor.
Saint Maura’s skull is located in the church of Koilani, Limassol, Cyprus. Fragments of Saint Maura’s relics are also located in Kykkos Monastery on Cyprus, and in the Greek church in Venice.
The holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura were husband and wife. Timothy was from Penapeis in the Thebaid, a reader in the Church, and had been married to Maura only twenty days when he was betrayed to Arian, the Governor of the Thebaid, as a teacher of the Christians. Arian commanded Timothy to surrender his sacred books, which he refused to do, comparing it to a father’s giving up his children to death. For this answer, heated iron spits were thrust through his ears. As he was being put to other tortures, Arian summoned Maura, hoping that she would persuade her husband to worship the idols, but she confessed herself a Christian. The hair of her head was pulled out, her fingers were cut off, then she was lowered into a cauldron of boiling water, but remained unharmed. Finally husband and wife were crucified facing each other, and after nine days, received their martyric end, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305).
The fate of these two wonderful martyrs, husband and wife, is amazing! Because of their Christian Faith, they were brought to trial before Arrianus, the governor of Thebaid, during the reign of Diocletian. This occurred only twenty days after their marriage. Timothy was a reader in his local church. The governor questioned him: “Who are you?” To this Timothy responded: “I am a Christian and a reader in God’s Church.” The governor further said to him: “Do you not see these instruments of torture surrounding you?” Timothy replied: “And do you not see all the angels of God who strengthen me?” Then the governor ordered that an iron rod be pierced through his ears, so that the pupils of his eyes protruded because of the pain.
After that, they hanged him upside down and placed a piece of wood in his mouth. At first Maura was frightened because of Timothy’s sufferings, but when her husband encouraged her, she also confessed her steadfast faith before the governor. The governor then ordered all the hairs of her head pulled out, and after that severed the fingers from her hands. After many other tortures, from which they would have succumbed had not the grace of God strengthened them, they were crucified facing each other. Thus hanging on their crosses, they lived for nine days, counseling and encouraging each other in perseverance. On the tenth day, they gave up their souls to their Lord for Whom they had endured death on a cross, and so were made worthy of His Kingdom. They suffered honorably for Christ in the year 286 A.D.*)
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*) The name “Maura” means black. Therefore, in Macedonia, the feast day of these two saints is referred to as Black Day. On the island of Zakynthos, there exists a church dedicted to Saints Timothy and Maura in which many miracles of healing have taken place.
Apolytikion of Martyrs Timothy and Maura
Fourth Tone
To Timothy let us faithful render homage today together with Maura, his fellow contestant and wife, that most faithful bride of Christ, lauding their brave steadfastness; for by crucifixion they followed with longing in the steps of their Master, Who nailed the sins of all to the Cross when He was slain for us.
Kontakion of Martyrs Timothy and Maura
Fourth Tone
Since ye endured through divers woundings and tortures and have received from God the garlands of vict’ry, rise up in intercession with the Lord for us, who with longing celebrate this, your sacred memorial, O Great Martyr Timothy, and most glorious Maura, that He grant peace to all His Church and flock, for He is truly the strength of all faithful flock.
Source: oca.org / goarch.org / westserbdio.org
