6 OCTOBER
SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE
Thomas, also called “the twin”, was originally from Galilee. He was quick tempered and so attached to Jesus that he readily said to Him: ‘’let us go there also, and we will die with You!’’. He was a witness to the sufferings of Christ and was so upset by them that he doubted the resurrection: “if I do not see his hands and the mark of nails and unless I put my hand in His side, I will not believe.’’ But the Lord appeared to him and showed Thomas His wounds. Then, full of faith, Thomas cried out: ‘’my Lord and my God’’ An ancient tradition reports to us that he evangelized the region of Edessa near India. Even today, the Syro-Malabar and Malankar Churches consider him as their father in faith and venerate his tomb.
7 OCTOBER
SAINT SARKIS AND SAINT BACCHUS
Sarkis and Bacchus were two courageous leaders of the Roman army. They died for the Christian faith around 307AD. Devotion to them was very popular in the east and Christian Arabs drew the images of Saints Sarkis and Bacchus on their banners. A great church was built at Rosafa, known as the town of Sarkis, in his honor. Devotion to these two Saints is still very vibrant in Lebanon and there are numerous churches there dedicated to them. May their prayers be with us. Amen.
14 OCTOBER
SAINT JUDE THE APOSTLE
Jude is known by several names. In Lebanon, he is called Lebbeus, Levi, or Laba and is venerated in the town of Hasroun. The Maronite Synaxarion says that he was one of the seventy disciples of the Lord and calls him by the name of Thaddeus. According to one tradition, he suffered martyrdom in Raha, and according to another, he died in Beirut.
Today he is considered to be one of the Twelve apostles (Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13). Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 refer to him as Thaddeus so as to avoid confusing him with Judas Iscariot (John 14:22). The name Thaddeus in Aramaic means, ‘’chest’’ and in Hebrew the name Lebbeus means “heart’’.
Jude was the youngest brother of James and Simon who were the first bishops of Jerusalem. After the Last Supper when Jesus promised to manifest himself to everyone who would love Him, Jude asked the Lord why He didn’t manifest Himself to the world, since he thought that Jesus was to be a secular messiah, an earthly king.
A brief epistle is attributed to Jude and most scholars accept Jude as the author of this letter. Little is known about the preaching or death of Jude, although some have said that he died in Persia.
20 OCTOBER
SAINT SHALITA (ARTIMIUS)
Shalita, who is also known as Artimius, was born in the fourth centuryAD. He achieved high rank in the Roman army and was eventually given responsibility for the Roman troops who were stationed in Egypt. He remained a faithful Christian despite the danger of losing his position and even his life. He was summoned before the emperor in Antioch for having destroyed the temples and idols of the pagan gods. It is said that his body was taken to Constantinople by Arista, who was a deaconess of the church in Antioch.
Shalita is held in great veneration by the Greek Church under the name of Artimius. Many churches and monasteries in Lebanon have been named in his honor and he is considered the patron of animals. May the prayers of Shalita be with us. Amen.
