I had a birthday gift awaiting my inbox on the honeymoon a few weeks ago. A friend in Dothan, AL has a family member of the Catholic tribe, who reads Greek (much better than I), and is versed in deciphering icons. Here was his bit of translating work:
Fortunately, I was able to translate the the name in the upper right hand corner.
C=S W=O Z O N.
I was informed that the icon (see a previous post below) is none other than that of Saint Sozon of Cilicia, (died c. 304). Here is Sozon’s rather compelling (but crazy?) story of martyrdom…
Sozon of Cilicia M (RM)
Born in Cilicia; died c. 304. A young shepherd boy name Tarasius was baptized, despite the persecution that Christians were undergoing, and took the name Sozon. While he was sleeping in the field one day, he dreamed that Jesus told him to lay aside the weapons that he used to protect his sheep and–taking only his shepherd’s crook–prepare himself to die for his faith. Sozon knew exactly what to do. He walked to the town of Pompeiopolis, where there was a pagan temple with a golden idol. He broke off one of the idol’s golden hands with his crook and gave pieces of it to the poor of the town. He might have escaped punishment, except that some other Christians were arrested and unjustly accused of damaging the idol. Sozon could not allow them to suffer in his stead, so he confessed his crime.With nails driven through the soles of his shoes, Sozon was forced to walk to the amphitheater. The magistrate wanted to release the courageous prisoner and asked him to play a tune on his pipe to the crowd. Sozon refused. He had, he said, once played to sheep. Now he would play only to God. He was then burned to death at the stake (Benedictines, Bentley).
Saint Sozon’s emblem in art is a pair of shoes with spikes through them (Roeder).
Saint Sozon’s feast day (9/7) is just 2 days after my spiritual birthday (9/5). I can feel the connection to my ancient brother from another mother. St. Sozon’s story seems to level all the faux-radicalism that’s hyped up these days.
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Hi there,
I am originally from Cilicia and very interested in saints from “the neighbourhood”. I have never heard of a Martyr Sozon, so thanks for the information. One can still see the ruins of Pompeiopolis, which is now surrounded by an outer suburb of the modern city of Mersin.
I shall look for an icon of this Martyr for myself. I did a small research but could not find it on the internet, do you happen to know what “Sozon” might mean?
Cheers
B.
hello
My name is Sozon i am from Preveza,Greece the name sozon comes from the greek word ‘σώζω’ and the meaning of the word sozon in greek is savior,somebody who saves.
Hi there,
I just found your post and wanted to offer a reply!
In the Orthodox Christian Church, we celebrate the life of
† Martyr Sozon of Cilicia (208/304)
every year on September 7.
He began life as a pagan shepherd in Lycaonia. Coming to faith in Christ, he was baptized and received the name Sozon (”Save”). Thereafter he took every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to his countrymen and to urge them to give up their idols. Entering a temple of Artemis in Cilicia, he cut off its golden hand, broke it into pieces, and distributed the gold to the poor. When he learned that because of this some were being punished unjustly for theft, he gave himself up to the governor Maximian. He was beaten to death with rods, by some accounts in 288, by others in 304.
(www.abbamoses.com)
Here is a small quote about the theology of icons:
St. John of Kronstadt wrote in his book My Life in Christ,
“You gaze upon the icon of the Saviour and see that He looks at you from it with brightest eyes; this look is the image of how He actually looks upon you with His eyes, that are brighter than the sun, and sees all your thoughts, hears all your heartfelt distress and sighs…Therefore pray before the icon of the Saviour as before Himself. The Lover of men is present in it by His grace, and with the eyes depicted in it really looks at you.”
Hope this is helpful to you,