Today our Holy Church commemorates the memory of Martyr Thalleleos and we celebrate the recollection of the sacred relics of Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, who took part in the First Ecumenical Council.
Saint Thalleleos lived during the reign of King Numerianus and came from Lebanon (Phoenicia). He studied medicine and ministered with love, patience and charity to his suffering fellow man. He was denounced to the ruler Theodore for his Christianity, and he called him to sacrifice to idols. The Saint resisted with unparalleled courage and faith in the Risen Lord. As a result, he was dragged into martyrdom. He bravely endured many terrible tortures. Finally, after he was hanged, and while it was believed that he had passed away, he remained alive, praising the Triune God.
The executioners Alexander and Asterios, seeing the miracle, believed in Christ themselves and publicly confessed their faith in the Risen Redeemer, with the result that the ruler arrogantly tortured them to martyrdom for their Christian confession.
The pagan ruler then decided to go himself to torture St. Thalleleos, but immediately his body was stuck to the throne and he was unable to rise. Then the Saint took pity on him and prayed for him.
By this miracle many pagans believed in the true God and turned away from idols. But the ruler, in selfishness and jealousy, persisted in his unbelief. He then ordered the Saint to be thrown into the sea, but he was rescued, and then thrown to the wild beasts with the same result.
Finally, they beheaded him, and thus he received the crown of glory of the God-Man, chief of life and death.
It is worth noting that the soul of man is resurrected by the resurrection of the Lord, since through His death, He put death to death. What remains to be resurrected is the body of man.
Man has human substance and partakes of human nature. The Son and Word of God and Son of man together with the divine nature, by the incarnation He assumed not only the human substance but also the whole human nature perfectly. Behold why, while He is perfect and sinless, He saves, heals and resurrects finite man.
Christ is risen!
Source: Orthodox Church of Cyprus