Description

Oil Dedicated to St Demetrios (martyr)

Great St Dimitrios, the Myrrh-flowing and Wonderworking Saint, a Christian and the son of the military commander of Thessalonica in the early fourth century. St Dimitrios the only son and because of this, most carefully cherished and educated. When his father died, Dimitrios appointed by Emperor Maximian to take his place. Maximian was an opponent of Christ and charged Dimitrios to persecute and to kill the Christians in that city.

An angel of God appeared to Dimitrios saying, “Peace be with thee, thou sufferer for Christ; be brave and strong!” After several days, the Emperor sent soldiers to the prison to kill Dimitrios. The soldiers came into the cell finding the Saint at prayer, and killed him with their spears. Christians the secretly took his body and buried it, and his relics began producing a healing fragrant myrrh. A small church soon built over his relics, and when an Illyrian nobleman, by the name of Leontius, ran prayerfully up to the relics of St. Dimitrios and completely cured of an incurable disease, he built a much larger church replacing the small one.

Once, when barbarians plundered the city, two maidens were abducted. When the leader of the barbarians learned that the maidens could embroider, he threatened them to produce the likeness of St. Dimitrios. They finished on the eve of the Saint’s feast and they wept asking for his forgiveness. Suddenly, Dimitrios appeared and transported them like an angel of God to the safety of his church in Thessalonica and left them among the people during a vigil.

As the defender of Thessalonica, St. Dimitrios has many times appeared and saved the city in times of trouble. The Russians also regarded St. Dimitrios as the protector of Siberia. The military expertise of Saint Demetrios led Galerius, as Caesar of the Eastern Empire.