Synaxarium

The Great Lordly Feasts: If the twenty-ninth of the Coptic month falls on a Sunday, the readings of the 29th of Baramhat are read, commemorating the Annunciation, except for the 29th of Tobe and Amshir.

On this day, the holy virgins Erpsima, Gatha, and their sisters who were with them were martyred during the days of King Diocletian. This tyrant desired to marry the most beautiful girl, so he sent painters to all regions, ordering them to paint the most beautiful girl they saw and describe her in detail. When they reached the vicinity of Rome, they entered a convent of virgins and found Saint Erpsima, who had no equal in beauty. They took her portrait and sent it to the king, who rejoiced and sent invitations to kings and leaders to celebrate the wedding. When Erpsima and the other virgins learned of this, they wept and left the convent, praying to the Lord Jesus Christ to help and protect them by His guardianship. They then left the convent and came to the land of Armenia in the province of Tiridates, residing inside a press in a deserted garden. They sustained themselves with great hardship through one of them who made glass and sold it to earn their living. When Diocletian sought Erpsima and could not find her, he heard she was in Armenia. He sent to Tiridates, the governor, informing him of her story to keep her. When the virgins learned of this, they left their shelter and hid in the city. Some informed on them, so Tiridates ordered Erpsima to be brought. When she refused, they seized her and brought her to him. Seeing her beauty, he wanted to take her for himself, but she did not allow him. He brought her mother to comfort her, but she encouraged and strengthened her, advising her not to forsake her true bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, and not to defile her guardianship. When the governor learned what her mother had done, he ordered her teeth to be broken. As for Saint Erpsima, the Lord gave her strength, and she overcame the governor by pushing him forcefully so he fell on his back and she left him lying on the ground, though he was famous in war for his bravery and courage. He was shamed to be overcome by a young virgin and ordered her beheading. The soldiers stopped her, cut out her tongue, gouged out her eyes, dismembered her, and threw her down. When the governor recovered, he regretted killing the saint and ordered the killing of the other virgins. The soldiers did as he commanded, skinning them, dismembering them, and throwing them down. One of them was sick and lying in a hut; she cried out to the soldiers to come to her sisters, so they also beheaded her. They all received the crown of martyrdom. Those who came with them from Rome were also killed. After their departure, the governor went mad and the doctors were perplexed until Saint Gregory, Bishop of Armenia, came and prayed over him; he was healed and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. He took the pure bodies of the saints and placed them in a holy place. May their prayers be with us, and to our Lord be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Commemoration of the departure of Saint Vibronia. May her prayers be with us, and to our Lord be glory forever and ever. Amen.