Holy Christian Martyrs of Antinoopolis
The governor said to him: "You see, don't you, the instruments prepared for torture?" St. Timothy replied: "But don't you see the angels of God, which are strengthening me?"
The city of Antinous was built upon the bank where Antinous had fallen into the Nile. From its birth the city was enshrouded with the specter of death. The religion of Antinous under the Curia of Antinopolis was a death cult. The two Temples, that of the Egyptian faction and the larger Antineion that is the second possible site of the lost tomb of Antinous, were places for the perpetual lamentation of the death of Antinous, and for the passing of all beauty and youth in the world.
Though Antinopolis was the flower of Greek civilization deep in the desert of the Thebaid, and though it was a haven for dispossessed and exiled thinkers and theological revolutionaries. There was a period of time in which even Antinoopolis fell under the sway of the fear and violence that had swept across the world. The Christian faith was suffering one of the bloodiest persecutions in its history. Diocletian had sought to curb the rising tide of Christianity with brutal violence. He issued decrees that all citizens should be compelled to demonstrate their piety to the Roman Gods by offering sacrifice. It was a direct challenge. Any person who refused was not only insulting the Gods of Rome, but showing disloyalty to the Emperor and to Rome herself. Such treason was punishable by death. This was a legal way to persecute Christianity, it was not an attack on the Christian doctrine, or its practices, but was a unavoidable line that no Christian would cross.
It is interesting to note that though many of the Christians were executed by beheading or by being shot through with arrows, some were executed by being drowned in the Nile. This similarity between their death and the death of Antinous must have been very moving to the priests of Antinous. And it is also interesting that the authorities were not sensitive to the nature of this form of execution in the Holy city of a boy who had become a god simply by drowning in the Nile.
Of these Martyrs, the most interesting are Apollonius and Philemon. Philemon was a Deacon of the Church, also called a reader. He displays cowardice when called upon to make sacrifice, and turns to Philemon, a pagan, to take his place. Philemon is said to have been a flute player, an occupation notoriously held by homosexuals. Though one was a young priest and the other a pagan it is interesting that Apollonius the priest would have the confidence and trust to ask Philemon to take his place, and that Philemon would have risked his life to aid the young priest. The two must have had a very close friendship, the nature of which has escaped the attention of the Martyrologists. In the end they both died together by being drowned after the manner of Antinous, in the Nile.
These stories of the Martyrs of Antinoopolis, also called Antinoe are taken from the Catholic and Orthodox lists of Matyrs.
Holy Martyrs St. Apollonius and St. Philemon
"During the reign of Diocletian (284-305), the Governor of Antinoe in the Thebaid of Upper Egypt was named Arian, a fierce persecutor who had sent many Christians to a violent death, among them Saints Timothy and Maura and Saint Sabine. When he had imprisoned Christians for their confession of faith, one of them, named Apollonius, a reader of the Church, lost his courage at the sight of the instruments of torture, and thought how he might escape torments without denying Christ. He asked Philemon a flute-player and a pagan, to put on Apollonius' clothes and offer sacrifice before Arian, so that all would think Apollonius to have done the Governor's will, that he might be released. Philemon agreed to this, but when the time came to offer sacrifice, enlightened by divine grace, he declared himself a Christian instead. He and Apollonius, who also confessed Christ when the fraud was exposed, Arian commanded that they be shot with arrows, but while they remained unharmed, Arian himself was wounded by one of the arrows; Saint Philemon foretold that after his martyrdom, Arian would be healed at his tomb. Apollonius and Philemon, still living, though tortured and wounded with arrows, were sewn into sacks and thrown into the sea. Their deaths occured on April 10th in the year 305.
St. Arian, his Body-Guards and St. Theotykos
As foretold The governor of Antinoe, Arian, the persecutor who had slain so many servants of Christ, suffering a wounded eye from an arrow, was healed by ashes taken from the remains of Philemon, and from this miracle he repented and was converted to the Christian faith and baptized together with all his household and body-guards. Diocletian heard of this and had Arian and his body-guards arrested. For their confession, out of love for Christ they voluntarily went to torture and were sentenced to death. they were cast into the river, and received the crown of life everlasting. Among the body-guards the eldest was the Martyr Theotykhos, remembered together with the other saints.
Holy Martyress St. Iraida
Iraida lived at Alexandria. One time, having gone to a well to draw water, she saw a ship at the shore, upon which were situated a large number of men, women, clergy and monks, all fettered in chains for their confession of the Christian faith. Having cast aside her water pitcher, the saint voluntarily joined in with the prisoners for Christ, and fetters were placed on her too. When the ship arrived in the city of Antinoopolis, Saint Iraida was the first to undergo fierce torments and was beheaded with the sword. After her, the other martyrs sealed their confession of faith in Christ with their blood.
Holy Martyr St. Asclas of Antinoe
Arrested and tortured for his faith by order of Arrian, governor of Egypt, during the persecutions of Diocletian. While Asclas was in prison, Arrian had reason to cross the River Nile on government business, but found he was absolutely unable to leave the water's edge. Asclas sent word that the governor would never be able to cross the river until he acknowledged Christ in writing. Arrian wrote out the statement, and was promptly able to leave the river bank. He crossed the Nile, and the moment he was on the other side, he ordered that Asclas be tortured and drowned. His holy day is January 23rd.
Holy Martyrs St. Timothy the Reader and his wife St. Maura
Strange was the destiny of these wonderful martyrs, husband and newly-wedded wife. Twenty days after their wedding, they were taken for trial for their Christian faith before Arrianus, governor of the Thebaid, in the time of the Emperor Diocletian. Timothy was a reader in the church where he lived. 'Who are you?', the governor asked him. Timothy replied: 'I am a Christian and a reader in the Church of God.' The governor said to him further: 'You see, don't you, the instruments prepared for torture?' Timothy replied: 'But you don't see the angels of God, which are strengthening me.' Then the governor commanded that he be pierced through the ears with iron rods, so that the pupils of his eyes leapt out with the pain. They then suddenly hanged him by the feet and stuffed his mouth with wood. Maura was at first afraid of torture but, when her husband gave her courage, she also confessed her steadfast faith before the governor. He commanded that, first, her hair be torn out, then all her fingers cut off. After many other tortures, to which they would quickly have succumbed had they not been strengthened by the grace of God, they were both crucified, one in sight of the other. And thus, hanging on their crosses, they remained alive for nine full days, counselling each other and encouraging each other in endurance. On the tenth day they gave their spirits into God's hands, the God for whom they had suffered crucifixion, and thus became worthy of His Kingdom. They suffered with honour for Christ in 286. 'Maura' means 'black', from which it comes that in Macedonia the day of these saints is known as 'Black Day'. On the island of Zakynthos there is a church of Saints Timothy and Maura, in which many miraculous healings have taken place. Their holy day is March 16th.
Holy Martyrs St. Archelaos, St. Cyril, St. Photios and the 150 Martyrs with them
All these saints were beheaded after tortures for the confession of faith in Christ. This occurred in the city of Antinoopolis sometime in about the years 308-310. The fate of the martyrs was shared also by Saint Irais.
St. Rais
Or Rhais, an Egyptian martyr. She was put to death at Alexandria or at Antinoe, Egypt, during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian.
January 8th
In Antinoopolis on this day Holy Martyrs St. Anthony, St. Anastasius, his wife St. Vasilissa, St. Celsus, St. Marcionilla, St. Julian, 7 Children, and 20 Soldiers were all put to death for confessing the love of Christ.
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Ecclesia Antinoi