Modestos of Jerusalem

Description

He was born of Orthodox parents, who were called Eusebius and Theodouli, in Sebastia in the year 298. Because his mother was barren, through the prayers of his parents a son was given to them, this great Father, after forty years of marriage. Having been born, his father was accused of being a Christian to Maximian. He was therefore put in chains and shut up in prison. When his wife Theodouli learned of this, she went to the prison with her son. Now in prison, they both beseeched God, and surrendered their souls into the hands of Holy Angels, becoming Martyrs in will and purpose. When the prison guard saw that his parents were dead, he found the child alive in their midst, so he took him and brought him before Maximian. The child was five months old at that time. When the emperor saw that the child was wholesome and graceful, he handed him over to a nobleman to raise him carefully, so that over time he may be found worthy to serve the false god Zeus. Thus the blessed Modestos was raised by this nobleman, and he learned how his blessed parents died in prison for Christ. When he arrived at thirteen years of age, he found a Christian, and from him he was taught piety, and became entirely familiar and given in to it. However, it grieved him that he had to associate with idolaters.
One time, when Maximian proclaimed that all the people were to offer sacrifices to the gods, the Saint received permission to go to the grave of his parents, and he beseeched them to free him from the hands of the Greeks, in order to be made worthy of Holy Baptism.

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