Saintes AGAPÈ, IRÈNE ET CHIONIE, vierges et martyres

Sainte Agapè

Martyre à Thessalonique en Macédoine (✝ 304)

et ses deux sœurs, sainte Irène et sainte Chionie, et plusieurs autres compagnons de martyre sous l'empereur Dioclétien.

Découvertes comme chrétiennes, Agapè et Chionie furent brûlées vives. Agathon, Cassia et Philippa furent temporairement épargnés à cause de leur jeune âge, mais, devant leur persistance à rester fidèles au Christ, ils furent à leur tour mis sur un bûcher.

Irène fut arrêtée parce qu'on avait découvert les livres des Saintes Ecritures chez elle. Refusant de céder aux menaces, elle fut enfermée dans une maison de débauche pour y être exposée devant les visiteurs qui respectèrent la pureté qui rayonnait d'elle.

Conduite alors devant le bûcher, le juge lui donna l'ordre de s'y jeter elle-même. C'est en chantant qu'elle entra dans les flammes.

À Thessalonique en Macédoine, les saintes Agapè et Chionia, vierges et martyres. En 305, sous l’empereur Dioclétien, parce qu’elles refusaient de manger des viandes sacrifiées aux idoles, elles furent condamnées à être brûlées vives par le gouverneur Ducétius.

Martyrologe romain

SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/6547/Sainte-Agape.html

Sainte Irène

Martyre à Thessalonique, avec ses soeurs Agapé et Chiona (✝ 304)

Ce n'était qu'une jeune fille quand éclata la persécution à Salonique. Comme beaucoup d'autres, elle s'enfuit dans la montagne pour se cacher, mais elle se reprocha cette lâcheté et revint à la maison. C'est là qu'elle fut arrêtée. Le juge lui offrit la vie sauve si elle apostasiait. Elle refusa et fut brûlée vive.

À Thessalonique en Macédoine, l’an 304, sainte Irène, vierge et martyre. Parce qu’elle avait caché les livres saints, malgré l’édit de Dioclétien, et qu’elle refusait de sacrifier aux dieux, le préfet Dulcétius, qui avait déjà fait mourir ses deux soeurs, Agapè et Chionia, donna l’ordre de l’exposer nue au lupanar, puis la fit jeter dans un brasier.

Martyrologe romain

SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/2130/Sainte+Ir%25E8ne.html

Sainte Irène, vierge et martyre

Quand avait éclaté la persécution dans sa ville de Salonique (Grèce), la jeune Irène avait fui dans les montagnes. Se reprochant sa lâcheté, elle rentre à la maison où elle finit par être arrêtée. Elle fut brûlée vive en 304 pour avoir refusé de dénoncer ses coreligionnaires et d'apostasier.

SOURCE : http://www.paroisse-saint-aygulf.fr/index.php/prieres-et-liturgie/saints-par-mois/icalrepeat.detail/2015/04/05/5915/-/sainte-irene-vierge-et-martyre

Sts. Agape, Chionia and Irene

Sts. Agape, Chionia and Irene were martyred at Thessalonica, Macedonia, April 3, 304. The martyrdom of these three sisters is related in a still preserved document.

In 303, Emperor Diocletian issued a decree making it an offense punishable by death to possess any portion of sacred Christian writings. Irene and her sisters, Agape and Chionia, daughters of pagan parents living in Salonika, owned several volumes of Holy Scriptures, which they hid. This made the girls very unhappy because they could not read them at all hours as was their wont.

The sisters were arrested on another charge–that of refusing to eat food that had been offered to the gods–and taken before the governor, Dulcetius (Dulcitius). He asked each in turn why they had refused and if they would still refuse. Agape answered: “I believe in the living God, and will not by an evil action lose all the merit of my past life.”

Thus, Chionia and Agape were condemned to be burned alive, but, because of her youth, Irene was to be imprisoned. After the execution of her older sisters, their house had been searched and the forbidden volumes discovered.

Irene was sent to a soldiers’ brothel, where she was stripped and chained. There she was miraculously protected from molestation. So, after again refusing a last chance to conform, she was sentenced to death. She died either by being forced to throw herself into flames or, more likely, by being shot in the throat with an arrow. The books, including the Sacred Scripture, were publicly burned. Their feast is April 3rd.

SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saints-agape-chionia-and-irene/

Agape, Chionia (Chione) & Irene VV MM (RM)

Died at Thessalonica, Macedonia, April 3, 304. The martyrdom of these three sisters is related in a document that is a somewhat more amplified version of genuine records.

In 303, Emperor Diocletian issued a decree making it an offense punishable by death to possess any portion of sacred Christian writings. Irene and her sisters, Agape and Chionia, daughters of pagan parents living in Salonika, owned several volumes of Holy Scriptures, which they hid. This made the girls very unhappy because they could not read them at all hours as was their wont.

The sisters were arrested on another charge--that of refusing to eat food that had been offered to the gods--and taken before the governor, Dulcetius (Dulcitius). He asked each in turn why they had refused and if they would still refuse. Agape answered: "I believe in the living God, and will not by an evil action lose all the merit of my past life." Some of the transcript follows:

Dulcetius: "Why didn't you obey the most pious command of our emperors and Caesars?"

Irene: "For fear of offending God."

Dulcetius: "But what say you, Casia?"

Casia: "I desire to save my soul."

Dulcetius: "Will not you partake of the sacred offerings?"

Casia: "By no means."

Dulcetius: "But you, Philippa, what do you say?"

Philippa: "I say the same thing."

Dulcetius: "What is that?"

Philippa: "That I had rather die than eat of your sacrifices."

Dulcetius: "And you, Eutychia, what do you say?"

Eutychia: "I say the same thing: that I had rather die than do what you command." Dulcetius: "Are you married?"

Eutychia: "My husband has been dead almost seven months."

Dulcetius: "By whom are you with child?"

Eutychia: "By him whom God gave me for my husband."

Dulcetius: "I advise you, Eutychia, to leave this folly, and resume a reasonable way of thinking; what do you say? will you obey the imperial edict?"

Eutychia: "No: for I am a Christian, and serve the Almighty God."

Dulcetius: "Eutychia being big with child, let her be kept in prison. Agape, what is your resolution? will you do as we do, who are obedient and dutiful to the emperors?"

Agape: "It is not proper to obey Satan; my soul is not to be overcome by these discourses."

Dulcetius: "And you, Chionia, what is your final answer?"

Chionia: "Nothing can change me."

Dulcetius: "Have you not some books, papers, or other writings, relating to the religion of the impious Christians?"

Chionia: "We have none: the emperors now reigning have taken them all from us."

Dulcetius: "Who drew you into this persuasion?"

Chionia: "Almighty God."

Dulcetius: "Who induced you to embrace this folly?"

Chionia: "Almighty God, and his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ."

Dulcetius: "You are all bound to obey our most puissant emperors and Caesars. But because you have so long obstinately despised their just commands, and so many edicts, admonitions, and threats, and have had the boldness and rashness to despise our orders, retaining the impious name of Christians; and since to this very time you have not obeyed the stationers and officers who solicited you to renounce Jesus Christ in writing, you shall receive the punishment you deserve.

"I condemn Agape and Chionia to be burnt alive. for having out of malice and obstinacy acted in contradiction to the divine edicts of our lords the emperors and Caesars, and who at present profess the rash and false religion of Christians, which all pious persons abhor. As for the other four, let them be confined in close prison during my pleasure."

Thus, Chionia and Agape were condemned to be burned alive, but, because of her youth, Irene was to be imprisoned. After the execution of her older sisters, their house had been searched and the forbidden volumes discovered. Irene was examined again:

Dulcetius: "Your madness is plain, since you have kept to this day so many books, parchments, codicils, and papers of the scriptures of the impious Christians. You were forced to acknowledge them when they were produced before you, though you had before denied you had any. You will not take warning from the punishment of your sisters, neither have you the fear of death before your eyes your punishment therefore is unavoidable. In the mean time I do not refuse even now to make some condescension in your behalf. Notwithstanding your crime, you may find pardon and be freed from punishment, if you will yet worship the gods. What say you then? Will you obey the orders of the emperors? Are you ready to sacrifice to the gods, and eat of the victims?"

Irene: "By no means: for those that renounce Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are threatened with eternal fire."

Dulcetius: "Who persuaded you to conceal those books and papers so long?"

Irene: "Almighty God, who has commanded us to love Him even unto death; on which account we dare not betray Him, but rather choose to be burnt alive, or suffer any thing whatsoever than discover such writings."

Dulcetius: "Who knew that those writings were in the house?"

Irene: "Nobody but the Almighty, from Whom nothing is hid: for we concealed them even from our own domestics, lest they should accuse us."

During the questioning Irene told him that when the emperor's decree against Christians was published, she and others fled to the mountains without her father's knowledge. She avoided implicating those who had helped them, and declared that nobody but themselves know they had the books:

Dulcetius: "Where did you hide yourselves last year, when the pious edict of our emperors was first published?"

Irene: "Where it pleased God, in the mountains."

Dulcetius: "With whom did you live?

Irene: "We were in the open air, sometimes on one mountain, sometimes on another."

Dulcetius: "Who supplied you with bread?"

Irene: "God, Who gives food to all flesh."

Dulcetius: "Was your father privy to it?

Irene: "No; he had not the least knowledge of it."

Dulcetius: "Which of your neighbors knew it?"

Irene: "Inquire in the neighborhood, and make your search."

Dulcetius: "After you returned from the mountains, as you say, did you read those books to anybody?"

Irene: "They were hid at our own house, and we dared not produce them; and we were in great trouble, because we could not read them night and day, as we had been accustomed to do."

Dulcetius: "Your sisters have already suffered the punishments to which they were condemned. As for you, Irene, though you were condemned to death before your flight for having hid these writings, I will not have you die so suddenly, but I order that you be exposed naked in a brothel, and be allowed one loaf a day, to be sent you from the palace; and that the guards do not suffer you to stir out of it one moment, under pain of death to them."

Irene was sent to a soldiers' brothel, where she was stripped and chained. There she was miraculously protected from molestation. So, after again refusing a last chance to conform, she was sentenced to death. She died either by being forced to throw herself into flames or, more likely, by being shot in the throat with an arrow. The books, including the Sacred Scripture, were publicly burned.

The one expanded version of the story relates that Irene was taken to a rising ground, where she mounted a large, lighted pile. While signing psalms and celebrating the glory of the Lord, she threw herself on the pile and was consumed.

Three other women (Casia, Philippa, Eutychia) and a man (Agatho) were tried with these martyrs. Eutychia was remanded because she was pregnant. It is not recorded what happened to the others. Agape and Chionia died on April 3; Irene on April 5, which is her actual feast day (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, White).

In art, this trio is represented generally as three maidens carrying pitchers, though they may be shown being burned at the stake (Roeder). They are venerated in Salonika (Roeder).

SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0403.shtml

Ss. Agape, Irene & Chione

The Holy Martyrs Agape, Irene, and Chione were sisters who lived at the end of the third century to the beginning of the fourth century, near the Italian city of Aquilea. They were left orphaned at an early age.

The young women led a pious Christian life and turned down many offers of marriage. Their spiritual guide was the priest Xeno. It was revealed to him in a vision that he would die soon, and that the holy virgins would suffer martyrdom. Also at Aquilea and having a similar vision was the Great Martyr Anastasia who is called “Deliverer from Potions” (as she fearlessly visited Christians in prison, encouraging them and healing them from potions, poisons, and other harmful things). The Great Martyr Anastasia visited the sisters and urged them to endure all things for Christ. Soon what was predicted in the vision came to pass. The priest Xeno died, and the three virgins were arrested and brought to trial before Emperor Diocletian.

St. Chione (“snow” in Greek) preserved the purity of her baptism according to the words of the Prophet-King David, “You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps. 50/51:7).

St. Irene (“peace” in Greek) preserved the peace of Christ within herself and manifested it to others, according to the Savior’s word, “My peace I give you” (John 14:27).

St. Agape (“love” in Greek) loved God with all her heart, and her neighbor as herself (Mt. 22:37-39).

Seeing the youthful beauty of the sisters, the emperor urged them to deny Christ and promised to find them illustrious bridegrooms from his entourage. The holy sisters replied that their only Bridegroom was Christ, for Whom they were ready to suffer. The emperor demanded they renounce Christ, but none of them would consent. The sisters called the pagan gods mere idols made by human hands, and they preached faith in the true God.

By Diocletian’s order, the holy sisters were brought to Macedonia to the court of Governor Dulcititus. When Dulcititus saw their beauty, he was aroused with impure passions. He put the sisters under guard and told them that they would receive their freedom if they agreed to fulfill his desires. However, they replied that they were prepared to die for their Heavenly Bridegroom, Christ.

Dulcititus decided to have his way by force. When the holy sisters arose at night to glorify the Lord in prayer, Dulcititus came to the door and tried to enter, but an invisible force prevented him. He staggered about, unable to find his way out. He then fell down in the kitchen among the cooking utensils and became covered with soot. The servants and the soldiers barely recognized him. When he saw himself in the mirror, he realized that the holy martyrs had made a fool of him and decided to take revenge.

At court, Dulcititus gave orders to strip the holy martyrs. However, the soldiers were unable to do so, no matter how hard they tried. The women’s clothing seemed to be stuck to their bodies.

When everything that had happened was reported to Emperor Diocletian, he became angry and gave the holy virgins over to Sisinius for trial. Sisinius began with the youngest sister, Irene. Seeing that she remained unyielding, he sent her to prison and attempted to sway Sts. Chione and Agape, but he also failed to make them renounce Christ. Sisinius ordered that Sts. Agape and Chione be burned. On hearing the sentence, the sisters gave thanks to the Lord for their crowns of martyrdom. In the fire, Agape and Chione surrendered their pure souls to the Lord.

When the fire went was extinguished, all those present saw that the bodies of the holy martyrs and their clothing had not been scorched, and their faces were beautiful and peaceful, as if they were asleep. On the following day, Sisinius gave orders to bring St. Irene to court. He threatened her with the fate of her older sisters and urged her to renounce Christ. He then threatened to hand her over for defilement in a brothel, but the holy martyr answered, “Even if my body is defiled by force, my soul will never be defiled by renouncing Christ.”

While the soldiers were leading St, Irene to the brothel, two luminous images in soldier’s uniforms appeared before them and said, “Your master Sisinius commands you to take this virgin to a high mountain and leave her there, and then return to him and report that you have fulfilled his command.”

When they reported back to Sisinius, he flew into a rage, since he had given no such orders. The luminous soldiers were angels of God, saving the holy martyr from defilement. Sisinius went to the mountain with a detachment of soldiers and saw St. Irene on the summit. They searched for the way to the top, but could not find it. One of the soldiers then wounded St. Irene with an arrow. The martyr cried out to Sisinius, “I mock your impotent malice, and I go to my Lord Jesus Christ pure and undefiled.” Having given thanks to the Lord, she lay down upon the ground and surrendered her soul to God on the very day of Holy Pascha in 304.

The Great Martyr Anastasia heard about the end of the holy sisters, and she buried their bodies with reverence.

Troparion (Tone 1) –

Sisters in the flesh united in the Spirit,

you wrestled with the prince of evil and endured your martyrdom.

Holy and blest Agape, Irene, and Chionía,

pray to Christ our God to save our souls.

Kontakion (Tone 3) –

Bright mirrors of virginity,

radiant with your martyrdom,

you fill the Church with light and dispel the darkness of evil,

Agape, Irene, and Chionía, Christ’s precious jewels.

Troparion (Tone 4) –

Completing the course of your life in martyrdom

And having kept the faith,

As lambs endowed with reason

You were led before Christ the Lamb and Shepherd.

Therefore rejoicing now in spirit,

We celebrate your wondrous and holy memory,

Magnifying Christ.

Kontakion (Tone 4) –

Becoming beautiful brides of Christ,

You offered to Him a gift of blood and sacrifice,

O passion-bearing maidens,

Irene, Agape and glorious Chionia,

Rightly entering the bridal chamber,

Ever filled with ineffable enlightenment.

Therefore celebrating in spirit

Your precious and holy memory,

We give glory to the Savior

And cry out in piety:

Pray to the Lord for us.

By permission of the Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)

SOURCE : http://www.antiochian.org/node/18245

Saints Agape, Chione, and Irene, Virgin Martyrs of the Church

Today, April 3, we celebrate the feast of Saints Agape, Chione, and Irene, three sisters and virgin martyrs of the early Church (died 304). These sisters, whose names translate as “Love,” “Peace,” and “White-as-Snow” held to their beliefs in a time when being Christian was dangerous, willingly and courageously going to their deaths as martyrs for the faith.

Born in the Italian city of Aquilea, these three sisters were left orphaned at an early age, and raised each other as best they could. Each led a pious, Christian life, turning down offers of marriage to remain pure and consecrated to Christ. As they grew, the sisters found a spiritual director in a local priest, name Xeno. Father Xeno soon died, but not before predicting that the three young women would suffer and die for their faith. Similarly, Saint Anastasia the Martyr predicted the same fact, visiting the women and encouraging them.

Agape, Chione, and Irene lived their lives fearlessly, but it was not long before the were arrested and brought before the Emperor Diocletian for possessing books containing the Holy Scriptures-- an offense punishable by death during the persecution of Christians. The emperor, for his part, was moved by the youth and beauty of the sisters, and personally encouraged them to deny the faith and sacrifice to the pagan gods. He went as far as to promise each of them a lavish wedding to a powerful groom from his inner circle. The women replied that their only Bridegroom was Christ, for whom they were ready to suffer.

Diocletian was angered, ordering the sisters to renounce Christ. They refused, restating the fact that pagan gods were idols made by human hands. They further preached the Gospel to the emperor, and it is said that some of those present embraced the faith!

Diocletian ordered the sisters be taken to a mountain retreat in Thessalonica (modern Greece), to the court of the governor, Dulcititus, there. When this man saw their beauty, he was aroused with impure passions, telling the sisters that they would receive their freedom if they agreed to fulfill his desires. Again, they replied that they were prepared to die for Christ.

Governor Dulcititus decided to have his way with the sisters by force. As they were praying at night, Dulcititus came to the door and tried to enter, but an invisible force prevented him. He staggered about, falling down the stairs into the kitchen, landing in the cookfire and being covered in soot. When he saw himself in the mirror, he realized that the holy martyrs had made a fool of him and decided to exact revenge.

That morning, at court, Dulcititus gave orders to strip the holy martyrs naked. No matter how hard they tried, however, the soldiers were unable to do so. The women’s clothing seemed to be stuck to their bodies. Dulcititus gave up, unsure of how to proceed, and sent message to Emperor Diocletian. The Emperor ordered the women to stand trial.

Beginning with the youngest sister, Irene, the magistrate berated her to no effect. She stood courageously before the court, separated from her sisters, but full of confidence and faith in the Lord. Having no luck, she was thrown into prison. The magistrate attempted the same process with Saints Chione and Agape, again failing to make them renounce the faith. Frustrated, he ordered them burned to death, upon which the sisters gave thanks to God for allowing them to die for Him. Saints Agape and Chione died peacefully in the fire, praising the Lord. When the fire went was extinguished, all those present saw that the bodies of the holy martyrs and their clothing had not been scorched, and their faces were beautiful and peaceful, as if they were asleep.

The next morning, the magistrate brought Saint Irene back to court. He threatened her with the fate of her older sisters and urged her to renounce Christ. He then threatened to hand her over for defilement in a brothel, but the holy martyr answered, “Even if my body is defiled by force, my soul will never be defiled by renouncing Christ.”

While the soldiers were leading Saint Irene to the brothel, two luminous soldiers—angels of Heaven-- intercepted them and said, “Your master commands you to take this virgin to a high mountain and leave her there, and then return to him and report that you have fulfilled his command.” The soldiers did as instructed, but the magistrate flew into a rage, having given no such order. The soldiers returned to the mountain and found Saint Irene, saved from physical defilement, in prayer. One of the soldiers then wounded Saint Irene with an arrow. She cried out “I mock your impotent malice, and I go to my Lord Jesus Christ pure and undefiled,” and offered her soul in praise to God.

Sisters in the flesh united in the Spirit,

you wrestled with the prince of evil and endured your martyrdom.

Holy and blest Agape, Irene, and Chione,

pray to Christ our God to save our souls.

Magnifying Christ.

Becoming beautiful brides of Christ,

You offered to Him a gift of blood and sacrifice,

O passion-bearing maidens,

Irene, Agape and glorious Chionia,

Rightly entering the bridal chamber,

Ever filled with ineffable enlightenment.

Therefore celebrating in spirit

Your precious and holy memory,

We give glory to the Savior

And cry out in piety:

Pray to the Lord for us.

SOURCE : http://365rosaries.blogspot.ca/2011/04/saints-agape-chione-and-irene-virgin.html

Irene VM (RM)

Died at Thessalonica, Macedonia, April 5, 304. The martyrdom of Irene's sisters Agape and Chionia is described on April 3. The story is based on an amplified version of genuine records. In 303, Emperor Diocletian issued a decree making it an offense punishable by death to possess any portion of sacred Christian writings. Irene and her siblings, daughters of pagan parents living in Salonika, owned and hid several of the forbidden volumes of Holy Scriptures.

The sisters were arrested and Chionia and Agape were sentenced by Governor Dulcitius to be burned alive because they refused to consume foods offered to pagan gods. Meanwhile, their house had been searched and the forbidden volumes discovered.

Irene was examined again, and said that when the emperor's decree against Christians was published, she and others fled to the mountains. She avoided implicating those who had helped them, and declared that nobody but themselves know they had the books: "We feared our own people as much as anybody."

Irene was sent to a soldiers' brothel, where she was stripped and chained but was miraculously protected from molestation. So, after again refusing a last chance to conform, she was sentenced to death. She died two days after her sisters either by being forced to throw herself into flames or, more likely, by being shot in the throat with an arrow. The books, including the Sacred Scripture, were publicly burned.

Three other women and a man were tried with these martyrs, of whom one woman was remanded because she was pregnant. It is not recorded what happened to the others (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia, White).


In art, this trio is represented generally as three maidens carrying pitchers, though they may be shown being burned at the stake (Roeder). They are venerated in Salonika (Roeder). 

SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0405.shtml