imageXanthippe and Polyxene of Spain

September 23

The Righteous Women Xanthippe and Polyxene were natives to Spain when the Apostle Paul came and preached to their land. Polyxene, still a pagan, was kidnapped and taken to Greece, but was kept unharmed by her kidnapper through the Grace of God. While in Greece, she was baptised by the Apostle Andrew himself and was present at his martyrdom. Having returned to Spain, both sisters fervently preached the gospel to their people for about forty years. They both reposed in peace at an old age.

Ἀπολυτίκιον
Ἦχος πλ. α´. Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον.
Ἀποστόλων ταῖς τρίβοις ἀκολουθήσασαι, ὑμῶν τὸν βίον ἐν ἔργοις, φιλαδελφείας καλῶς, καὶ ἀγάπης ἀκραιφνοῦς ἐδαπανήσατε, σῶφρον Ξανθίππη θαυμαστή, καὶ ὁσίων παμφαὲς, ὡράϊσμα Πολυξένη· καὶ νῦν Χριστὸν δυσωπεῖτε, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σεμναὶ αὐτάδελφοι.

Κοντάκιον
Ἦχος πλ. δ´. Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ.
Διαδραμοῦσαι πολιτείαν ὑπερθαύμαστον, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁσίων σύμμορφαι ἐδείχθητε γυναικῶν, Ξανθίππη θεία καὶ Πολυξένη· ὅθεν στέφανον δεξάμεναι ἀμάραντον ἐκ χειρῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἡμῶν ἀκούετε τῶν βοώντων νῦν· Χαίροις, ζεῦγος θειότατον.

Μεγαλυνάριον
Χαίροις, αὐταδέλφων ἡ ξυνωρίς, γυναικῶν ὁσίων, ἀποστόλων μαθητριῶν, χαίροις Πολυξένη, καὶ πάνσεμνε Ξανθίππη, αἱ νουνεχῶς τὸν βίον, ἐκδαπανήσασαι.