ST. EUPHEMIA THE GREAT MARTYR OF CHALCEDON (SEPT. 16TH)

A Contemporary Icon of St. Euphemia Confirming the Creed of the Council of Chalcedon

Edited by Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

St. Euphemia, known as the Great Martyr of Chalcedon, was born into a noble Christian family during the late 3rd century. She lived in Chalcedon (modern-day Turkey), and from her earliest years, she exhibited extraordinary devotion to Christ. Her life of faith, prayer, and service reflected the fervent belief that would later sustain her during the harrowing trials of martyrdom.

Under the reign of Emperor Diocletian, Christians were subjected to brutal persecution. In AD 303, the governor Priscus, following the imperial edicts, demanded that the people of Chalcedon sacrifice to pagan gods. Euphemia, a young woman at the time, along with forty-nine others, refused to abandon their faith in Christ. When brought before Priscus, Euphemia courageously professed her unwavering devotion to the Lord, saying that her only desire was to worship the true God. In an attempt to sway her, the governor subjected her to cruel and torturous ordeals.

St. Euphemia endured numerous torments with divine strength, including being placed on a spiked wheel and cast into the flames, but she was miraculously preserved from these sufferings by the grace of God. Her bravery and unshaken faith led many witnesses to convert to Christianity, inspired by her courage.

Finally, St. Euphemia was condemned to death by wild beasts in the arena. As she was thrown to the lions, one of the beasts approached her gently, while the others tore her apart, fulfilling her martyrdom on September 16th, AD 303. Her body was secretly buried by fellow Christians, and her tomb became a site of pilgrimage.

Miracles began to flow from her relics, and her intercession was sought by the faithful. Most notably, in AD 451, during the Fourth Ecumenical Council held in Chalcedon, a dispute arose between the Orthodox Fathers and the extreme Eutychian heretics over the true nature of Christ. To resolve the issue, the two sides wrote their confessions of faith, sealed them, and placed them in St. Euphemia’s tomb. After three days of prayer and fasting, the tomb was opened, and the Orthodox confession was found in St. Euphemia’s right hand, while the Eutychian Monophysite confession lay at her feet.

St. Euphemia’s Tomb in the St. George’s Cathedral, Constantinople

This miracle affirmed the Orthodox teaching of Christ’s two natures, fully divine and fully human, and it solidified St. Euphemia's role as a defender of the Orthodox faith. Her legacy continues to inspire Christians today, reminding us of the power of steadfast faith in the face of trials.

GREEK HYMN FOR SAINT EUPHEMIA 

O Euphemia, thou didst gladden the Orthodox and didst put the heretics to shame, 

and after suffering martyrdom thou didst receive from God the crown of victory. 

Do thou entreat Christ our God to deliver us from all heresy and to save our souls.

Thou didst struggle, O Mother, with a brave heart; 

as a lioness, thou didst boldly endure the tortures of thy tormentors, 

and didst yield thy soul unto the hands of thy Creator.

COLLECT 

O God, who didst strengthen thy holy martyr Euphemia with the grace of unwavering faith, grant that we, inspired by her example, may endure every trial with the same courage, and ever confess thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.