The Holy Virginmartyr Charitine of Amisus was left an orphan while quite young and was raised in meekness and piety by the noble Claudius, however was not yet baptised. Having grown through prayer and fasting, the holy virgin brought many to the True Faith. Having heard of this, the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s governor summoned the young Charitine to be trialled. He accused her of “being a Christian and deluding others by bringing them to a dishonourable faith.” She replied that she was indeed a Christian but the latter part was a lie. Instead, she said, she was bringing people from error to Truth, the way of Christ. The judge ordered her head be shaved and hot coals poured on her. When this did no harm, they then threw her in the ocean, only to swim out alive and this she claimed as her baptism. After many other tortures, the governor gave up and decided to give her over to be defiled by some debauched men. The Lord, hearing her prayer to be saved from this dishonour, took her soul as the men approached and as she knelt in prayer.

Ἀπολυτίκιον
Ἦχος γ’. Θείας πίστεως.
Θεία χάριτι, κραταιωθεῖσα, κράτος ἤσχυνας, τῆς δυσσεβείας, Χαριτίνη ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἀθλήσασα ὅθεν χαρίτων πηγὴν ἀδαπάνητον, ὡς γλυκασμὸν ἀναβλύζεις τοὶς κράζουσι. Μάρτυς ἔνδοξε, Χριστὸν τὸν θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἠμὶν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

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