Memorial Day of St. Antipas of Pergamon

On April 24, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of remembrance of St. Antipas of Pergamon, who was one of the faithful disciples of John the Theologian and suffered martyrdom for the Christian faith. Antipas lived in the 1st century and held the rank of bishop of the church see in Pergamon. A large, rich city on the Aegean coast was the pagan capital of the eastern part of the Roman Empire. The pagans of Pergamum worshiped their idols with special pomp, making sacrifices to them in luxurious temples. But the speeches of Saint Antipas turned many idolaters away from their false faith, revealing the truth of Christianity. Having learned about this, the priests and leaders of the pagans decided to put an end to the Bishop of Pergamon. Antipas was captured, forced to recognize the pagan idols of the city. The saint was not afraid and replied that he would worship only God the Creator, his Consubstantial Son and the Holy Spirit. The villains, seeing the steadfastness of Antipas, tried to slander Jesus Christ, questioning his divine nature, but the bishop calmly answered the most cunning questions, revealing the essence of the Christian faith. Having made sure that the saint could not be intimidated, the pagan priests dragged Antipas to the temple of Artemis, where there was an altar in the form of an iron bull. The Bishop of Pergamon was thrown into the red-hot flaming beast like a sacrifice. But instead of screams and moans, the villains heard loud prayers praising the Christian God. After some time, the saint fell silent and accepted death, his body remaining untouched by the flames of the sacrificial fire. The incorrupt body of Antipas was mourned and buried with honors in Pergamon; his tomb became a miraculous place for thousands of Christians who came to the saint with prayers. Many serious ailments receded thanks to the protection of the Bishop of Pergamon, and in popular belief it is customary to turn to him for toothaches. The Day of St. Antipas is popularly called Vodogon and is associated with abundant melting of snow and ice. There are also weather signs noted on this church holiday: - rivers uncovered from the ice cover foreshadow a warm spring and an abundant, fruitful summer; - blush in the morning sky indicates a windy or rainy day; - unexpected frosts promise a rich harvest of milk mushrooms; - rain or rainfall predicts mushroom season.