While Jesus had referred to the Canaanite woman as a dog, He said he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  I think if you ask those in the know to name one clear trait about sheep, it would be that they are just plain dumb, maybe one of the dumbest animals on earth with no common sense whatsoever. They need to be protected because they are so stupid – they need a shepherd.

One dog on the other hand can help shepherd an entire flock of sheep.   So while the disciples may have enjoyed Jesus calling the Canaanite woman a dog, in the end, the joke  is on them – they are the dumb sheep who need a shepherd to lead them, and this woman has just shepherded them into a new understanding of the world and of the Word of God.

Saint Cyril was born in Thessaloniki in the early 9^th century to pious parents. His family was one of only a few Byzantines in Thessaloniki at that time since it was largely populated by Slavs. Growing up in this situation, Cyril learned the Slavonic language, which later in life would serve him and the Church at large. He continued his education in Constantinople with his brother Methodios (see May 11^th), each taking to their particular interests: Methodios in politics, and Cyril in philosophy and teaching.

The two brothers were approached in 850 by Saint Photios the Great (see February 6^th) to lead a diplomatic mission to the Khazars, the people who inhabited the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Cyril and Methodios accepted this mission and departed to the North. After the success of this trip, the brothers lived for a time in a monastery on Mount Olympus where Methodios became a monk. At this time the brothers utilized their childhood Slavonic education to develop a written alphabet for the Slavonic language, which to this time had never existed. This alphabet became known as the Glagolithic Alphabet. On their own instigation, the brothers began translating the Gospels and liturgical service books into Slavonic.

Providentially, Cyril and Methodios were again called upon for a mission, this time to travel to Moravia to spread the Christian faith to King Rostislav (see May 11^th) and his people. The brothers departed in 862, bringing with them their Slavonic alphabet and service books. After five years of service, the brothers made their way to Rome in 867 to have members of their company ordained to the priesthood to aid in the missionary journey. The group of missionaries celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Rome in the Slavonic language for the very first time with members of their party being ordained as they intended. While in Rome, Cyril fell deathly ill. He was tonsured a monk and died. His brother Methodios continued their missionary work, utilizing the Glagolthic Alphabet. Cyril and his brother Methodios are commemorated together on May 11^th.

In the year 1930, a Neomartyr named Nicholas of the 16th century who was forgotten by the Church was revealed. Metropolitan Ezekiel of Thessaliotis, who, on a routine tour of the monasteries of his diocese, discovered a manuscript in the deserted Monastery of the Holy Trinity, also named Siamou, on Mount Pindos, which contained the service, a synaxarion, and a sermon in honor of this New Martyr, all of which were authored by his contemporary, Subdeacon Damaskenos the Studite of Thessaloniki, who later became Bishop of Rendini. All these were copied by Metropolitan Ezekiel, who dedicated the manuscript to the School of Theology at the University of Athens and published them. The first Greek edition of Metropolitan Ezekiel, titled "Service to the Newly-Appeared Martyr Nicholas of Ichthys of Corinth, with a Prologue by Metropolitan Ezekiel..." was published by Phoinikos Press (1930) at Stadiou 44 in Athens [download book here]; a reprint was published at Corinth by Chrestos Skouteres (1963). The hymnographer of the Great Church, Father Gerasimos Mikragiannanites, also composed a service to venerate this Saint.

Life of New Martyr Nicholas of Ichthys, Corinth

Nicholas, the newly revealed and courageous Martyr of Christ, was born in an obscure hamlet, called by its neighbors Ichthys or Psari, which was within the prefecture of Corinth. His parents, John and Kalli, were pious and faithful to Christ. When the holy lad was twelve years old, his parents departed this world. Since he was left alone at home, the boy could not endure the absence of his beloved mother and father. He, therefore, departed his hometown in the company of several youths. They were bound for the town of Selybria, which is a day's distance from Constantinople. Nicholas entered the service of one of Selybria's prominent citizens as a valet. The fear of God was in Nicholas' heart, and he kept the commandments of Christ with zeal. Along with the fulfillment of his duties, he supported the parishes in the area according to his means.

Nicholas had a good and pious upbringing. He wished to establish a Christian home. When he reached a suitable age, he entered lawful wedlock and fathered children whom he reared in the Greek Orthodox tradition and the teachings of Christ. His godly children were fruit that bore witness to the tree, even though they were brought up in a worldly environment. While engaged in a livelihood of selling fruits on the main street of the town, Nicholas did not neglect the salvation of his soul. He ministered to the poor and pleased God by distributing alms. He, moreover, attended services in the nearby churches.

Nicholas, however, aspired to achieve a greater gift (that is to say, martyrdom), and this story tells of how it was attained. Now Sultan Suleyman I (1520-1566), in the thirty-fourth year of his reign, had embarked on a campaign in Persia. At Constantinople the sultan left in charge his prefect, a certain Sinan. This man, who had nothing to commend him, would boast of his kinship with the sultan and tyrannize his subjects. He was overbearing in his position and committed more frightening and barbarous acts against the Christians than one can imagine. He condemned some Christians to serve as galley slaves on pirate ships, while others he terrorized with threats of punishment.

At that time, the godly Nicholas was despised by the Turks in his neighborhood. They resented his industriousness and ability to sell more produce than they on the main thoroughfare. Nicholas, consequently, was taken into custody, and led forth to Constantinople. The Christian stood trial before the prefect; without weakening in the least, Nicholas confessed that he was a Christian, calling the Hagarene (Muslim) religion false. As a result, by order of the prefect, Nicholas received such a severe beating with branches from a pomegranate tree that the blood ran forth even from his toenails. After this terrible torture, he was cast into prison and received no medical attention. The year was 1554.

Four days later, the judge took him out of his cell. The Muslim prefect, by flattery and the promise of an important position, attempted to persuade Nicholas to deny the pure Faith of Christ. But the villain accomplished nothing, for Nicholas, the martyr of truth, became even more adamant in the Orthodox Faith. The martyr invoked the name of Christ, thereby chastising those godless ones for their unbelief. He called their false prophet the son of the devil and an enemy of God. After hearing this declaration, the Muslim's bound chains around Nicholas' neck. Instead of garments, they put a woven mat about his body. In this condition, the executioners paraded him throughout the city. Nevertheless, neither did this form of torture induce the Martyr to yield; rather, his sufferings strengthened him in the Faith. By order of the prefect, the Muslims lit a great bonfire in the hippodrome, to which the proponents of impiety led the Martyr. They, however, did not throw him into the fire immediately; instead, they cruelly exposed his body, little by little, to the flames. This was done to prolong the severity of his suffering.

After the Saint was subjected to this torture for a long period of time, he could no longer hold himself upright, so he leaned to the right. The executioners removed the chains, which he wore about his neck, and severed his head with a sword. Thus, Christ's valiant witness and martyr surrendered his soul into the hands of God. His honored body was burned in the fire and his soul departed into the hands of God. Only his sacred head remained intact. It was purchased by a devout man for twenty golden coins, by which he bribed the executioner. This honorable relic was sent to the Thessalian monastery of our Holy Father Athanasios of Great Meteora, where it is found to this day, being a source of many miracles, to the glory of Christ, our true God, to Whom is due glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Saint Abraham, Bishop of Charres, lived during the mid-fourth and early fifth centuries, and was born in the city of Cyrrhus. In his youth he entered a monastery. Later he became a hermit in Lebanon, a place where many pagans lived.

Saint Abraham suffered much vexation from the pagans, who wanted to expel him from their area. He once saw tax-collectors beating those who were unable to pay. Moved to pity, he paid the taxes for them, and those people later accepted Christ.

The Christian inhabitants of this village built a church and they fervently besought Saint Abraham to accept the priesthood and become their pastor. The monk fulfilled their wish. Having encouraged his flock in the faith, he left them in place of himself another priest, and he again retired to a monastery.

For his deep piety he was made bishop of Charres; his pastors the saint constantly taught by his God-pleasing life. From the time of his accepting of the priesthood, he never used cooked food. The emperor Theodosius the Younger wanted to meet the bishop and made him an invitation. After he arrived in Constantinople, Saint Abraham soon died. His remains were solemnly transferred to the city of Charres and there given over to burial.