Three Women Martyrs with St. Charalmpus in Thessaly
Commemorated on February 10
The Hieromartyr Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia, and the Martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus and Three Women Martyrs suffered in the year 202.
St. Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia (Asia Minor), successfully spread the faith in Christ the Savior, guiding people on the way to salvation. News of his preaching reached Lucian, the governor of the district, and the military commander, Lucius. The saint was arrested and brought to trial, where he confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
Despite the bishop’s advanced age (he was 113 years old), he was subjected to cruel tortures. They lacerated his body with iron hooks, and scraped all the skin from his body. Throughout his agony, the saint turned to his tormentors and said, “I thank you, brethren, that you have restored my spirit, which longs to pass over to a new and everlasting life!”
Seeing the Elder’s endurance and his complete lack of malice, two soldiers (Porphyrius and Baptus) openly confessed Christ, for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword. Three women who were watching the sufferings of St. Charalampus also began to glorify Christ, and were quickly martyred.
The enraged Lucius seized the instruments of torture and began to inflict blows on the holy martyr, but suddenly his forearms were cut off as if by a sword. The governor then spat in the face of the saint, and immediately his head was turned around so that he faced backwards. Lucius then asked the saint to show mercy on him, and both torturers were healed through the prayers of St. Charalampus. A multitude of men and women came to believe in Christ. Among them also was Lucius, who fell at the feet of the holy bishop, asking to be baptized.
Lucian reported these events to Emperor Septimus Severus (193-211) in Asia Minor. The emperor ordered St. Charlampos to be brought to him in Antioch and sentenced him to beheading with a sword. During his final prayer, the heavens opened, and the saint saw the Savior and a multitude of angels. The holy martyr asked Him to grant that the place where his relics would repose would never suffer famine or disease. He also begged that there would be peace, prosperity, and an abundance of fruit, grain, and wine in that place, and that the souls of these people would be saved. The Lord promised to fulfill his request and ascended to heaven, and the soul of the hieromartyr Charalampus followed after Him. By the mercy of God, the saint died before he could be executed. Galina buried the martyr’s body with great honor.
By permission of www.orthodoxwiki.org