Elevation of the Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church

When we think of great orators in the early Christian Church, men like John Chrysostom & Gregory the Theologian immediately come to mind. Yet the saint whose image graces the cover of today's Church Bulletin is viewed as someone with preaching skills that were unmatched in his era.

The Holy Martyr Kallinikos was born in the 3rd century in the town of Cilicia in Asia Minor. Trained by monastics, it became evident early on that Kallinikos possessed a special gift for preaching the word of God. He embarked upon a missionary journey, and pagans and Christians alike were captivated by his sermons. He would never back down from debating those who questioned his teachings concerning Christ, and Kallinikos was responsible for successfully winning converts in regions where others had failed before him.

His spiritual victories, however, eventually led to the loss of his life. Kallinikos was arrested by the pagan governor of Sacerdos in the Turkish town of Ancyra, who ordered him to worship his idols. When Kallinikos refused, the enraged ruler threatened him with terrible torture, to which the saint replied: "EVERY TORTURE FOR MY GOD IS AS WELCOME TO ME AS BREAD IS TO A HUNGRY MAN." Kallinikos was forced to walk some 60 miles to the town of Gangra, wearing iron shoes with the nails sticking inward to cause him the maximum amount of pain. Along the way, the soldiers ran out of water and were ready to collapse when Kallinikos prayed to God to bring forth water from a rock. In Gangra, Kallinikos was thrown into a fiery furnace. He perished with these words on his lips: "I THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT I AM WORTHY TO DIE FOR YOUR HOLY NAME."