Today the Church honors St. Hypatius, Bishop and martyr.
Ora pro nobis.
We do not much information about his early life. We do know that he was bishop of the city of Gangra in Paphlagonia (Asia Minor). In the year AD 325, he participated in the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea, at which the heresy of Arius (the teaching that Jesus was a created being, not an eternal like the Father, and was therefore of similar being, “homoi”-similar, and “ousia”-being, rather than of the same being, “homo”-same, “ousia”- being) was anathematized. Nicene Orthodoxy chose the teaching of St. Athanasius that Jesus was “homoousia” with the Father and the Holy Spirit, which remains the Nicene orthodox teaching of the Church.
When Saint Hypatius was returning in AD 326 from Constantinople to Gangra, followers of the schismatics Novatus and Felicissimus, ardent supporters of Arius, fell upon him in a desolate place. The heretics ran him through with swords and spears, and threw him into a swamp. Like the Protomartyr Stephen, Saint Hypatius prayed for his murderers.
One of them, a woman, struck the saint on the head with a stone, killing him. The murderers hid his body in a cave, where a Christian who kept straw there found his body. Recognizing the bishop’s body, he hastened to the city to report this, and the inhabitants of Gangra piously buried their beloved archpastor.
After his death, the relics of Saint Hypatius were famous for numerous miracles, particularly for casting out demons and for healing the sick.
Almighty God, you gave to your servant Hypatius special gifts of grace to be a faithful bishop who holds to the unchanging True Faith, to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant that by this teaching we may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
