On January 25th (the 12th by the old calendar) the Church
commemorates the holy martyr Tatiana.
Saint Tatiana was the daughter of a wealthy Roman and was brought up by him in the Christian
faith. When Tatiana came of age, she became indifferent towards wealth and other worldly riches, and with
all her heart came to love a spiritual way of life. She totally rejected married life, and for her
virtuous life she was appointed a deaconess in the Roman Church. In this office she earnestly tended the
sick, visited those in prisons, helped the indigent, and constantly attempted to please God by prayer and
good deeds.
In the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus (A.D. 222-235) Saint Tatiana was martyred by the
Roman ruler Ulpianus for confessing the Lord Jesus Christ (circa 225). According to an ancient story,
after various tortures Saint Tatiana was thrown into the circus arena (the Coliseum) for a savage lion to
maul her for the amusement of the spectators. Instead, the lion began to tamely nuzzle up to her. After
that Saint Tatiana was beheaded. Eight of the ruler’s servants that were torturing the saint came to
believe in Jesus Christ when they saw God’s power over her – and they, too, were beheaded after being
tortured.
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