Intercessors for Marital Help

There are times when it can be difficult to be married. A week from today (November 28), the Church commemorates three martyrs (+322 A.D.) who are considered to be especially helpful intercessors for husbands and wives when there is strife in the marriage--Gurias (Gurya), Samonas (Shamuna), and Abibus (Habib). I include links to upcoming feasts and saint commemorations on a separate area of my blog, I thought it important enough to merit a separate post with a link for those that are interested when this post archives. We can all certainly use the holy intercession of God's beloved, most especially when we are in the midst of difficulty. Here is what St. Nikolai Velimirovic, the "New Chrysostom", says of these martyrs in his lives of saints, "The Prologue":

Gurias and Samonas were prominent citizens of Edessa. During one of the persecutions of Christians, they hid outside the city and lived in fasting and prayer, encouraging true believers who came to them for counsel. However, they were captured and brought before the judge, who threatened them with death if they did not submit to the imperial decree demanding idol worship. These holy martyrs of Christ answered him: "If we submit to the imperial decree, we will perish, even if you don't kill us." After cruel torture, they were thrown into prison, where they remained from August 1 to November 10 (101 days!), enduring hunger, darkness, and pain. They were then led out and again tortured, but since they remained unwavering in the Christian Faith, they were condemned to death and beheaded in the year 322, during the reign of the wicked Emperor Licinius. Later Abibus, a deacon in Edessa, suffered tortures for Christ his Lord and gave his spirit to God while in the flames. His mother took his body, miraculously intact, from the fire and buried it in a grave with the relics of St. Gurias and St. Samonas. When the persecution ceased, Christians built a church in honor of the three martyrs, Gurias, Samonas, and Abibus, and placed their miracle-working relics in a common reliquary. Of the numerous miracles of these wonderful saints of God, the following is especially outstanding: A widow in Edessa had a young daughter who was to marry a Gothic soldier serving in the Greek army. As the mother feared for her daughter's safety if she were to live far away, the Goth swore on the grave of the holy three martyrs that he would do no evil to the maiden, but would take her as his lawful wife, as he had already sworn that he was not already married. In reality, he did have a wife, and when he took the young maiden to his country he kept her, not as his wife but as a slave, until his lawful wife died. He then agreed with his kinsmen to bury his living slave with his dead wife. The girl tearfully prayed to the three holy martyrs to save her, and they appeared to her in the grave, and took her in an instant from the land of the Goths to Edessa, to their church. The following day when the church was opened, they found the young maiden by the tomb of the saints of God, and learned of her miraculous deliverance.

And so these three saints are considered "protectors of marriage and of peaceful life between spouses, therefore we can appeal to these saints in prayer in times of the family squabbles and sorrows brought on by disagreements between husband and wife. In the Akathist Hymn glorifying the three Holy Martyrs, the Holy Church addresses them with the words: 'Rejoice, Gurias, Samonas, and Abibus, heavenly protectors of honorable marriage.' " (Sts. Peter and Febronia are also considered to be patrons of marriage, but I haven't been able to find out much about them; I'll post when I have the information available.)

The saints of the Church have completed their earthly lives "running the race" that God had set before them and "finishing the course"(2 Timothy 4:7), "fighting the good fight" (2 Timothy 4:7), "running the race" (1 Corinthians 9:24-26 & Hebrews 12:1), and finally, "winning the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24). Through enduring suffering and asceticism, the saints were purified from their sins as gold and silver are purified in the furnace (Zechariah 13:9), and they have achieved theosis (acquisition of the Holy Spirit--every Christian's goal). It makes sense to ask them for their intercession. As wise Sirach instructs us to seek out the physician that God gave skill to and to take medicines that God developed for our convalescence (Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 38:1-15), it makes sense to run to the spiritual hospital (the Church) and to ask for help and healing from the Great Physician (our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ), and from His helpers (the saints) who carry out His will.

Here is another account of their lives and suffering.

Troparion to the Saints - Tone 5

You have granted us the miracles of Your holy martyrs as a stronghold and protection:  Samonas, Gurias, and Habib!  Strengthen our land in goodness through their prayers, O Christ God, for You alone are merciful and the lover of mankind!

Kontakion to the Saints - Tone 2

You received a special grace from on high, becoming the protectors of those threatened with danger:  O wise Gurias, and Samonas, you are worthy of all praise, saving a handmaid of God from cruel death, O holy ones!  Indeed you are the glory of Edessa, and the joy of the Universe!

Here is a link to an Akathist Hymn to them in Russian; I've looked for many years for a translated Akathist in English, but have been unsuccessful:
http://www.molitvoslov.com/text677.htm