November 8 - Day of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Solunsky

In the Greek city, Thessaloniki today is a particularly solemn holiday. After all, the future saint was born here, was a proxul of the Thessalonian region, wise and buried. Honest relics of St. Demetrius are now in his homeland.
In Russia, to St. Demetrius is treated with great reverence, considering by the genus the Russian and patron in battles and wars, which there were always many in Russia.

Demetrius became a proxul in 305, replacing in this post with the will of the deceased father - a secret Christian and Slavic. Emperor Maximian instructed Demetrius not only to protect his region from external enemies, but also to exterminate Christians. But the new Pronsul, who was a Christian, began to actively promote the spread of Christ's truth.

A year later, returning from a campaign against the Sarmatians, Maximian stopped in Thessaloniki and demanded from Demetrius to renounce Christ. But the Pronsul was distributing his property to the poor, he began to prepare for death.

He was pierced by spears, his body was thrown to eat animals. The townspeople found the body and betrayed it to the earth. Two decades later, the temple was erected over his grave, later his holy relics were gained.

During the reign of Emperor Mauritius Avara, who lived on the Don, Saloniki besieged. Saint Dimitri appeared on the city wall with a spear, because of which the Avars in horror turned to flight. It is such an image of a saint, in military armor, with a spear and a sword in his hands, is especially common in Russia.

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