19 March 2025 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

42 Holy Martyrs of Ammoria

These were all generals under the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus. When the Emperor lost the struggle against the Saracens around the town of Ammoria, the Saracens took the town and enslaved many Christians, with these generals among them. The remaining Christians they either killed or sold into slavery, but threw these generals into prison, where they remained for seven years. Moslem leaders came many times, urging them to accept the Mohammedan faith, but the generals refused to do so. After seven years they were beheaded, in 845. Their bodies were cast into the Euphrates, but they floated to the other bank where Christians collected them and gave them burial.

Catholic Calendar

St. Joseph

Descendant of the house of David. He was carpenter and earthly spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He was adoptive father of Jesus Christ. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying ‘Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.’ He is noted for his willingness to immediately get up and do what God told him.