Holy Martyr Ariadne

Life

In the city of Promissus in Phrygia, during the time of Emperor Hadrian, there was a certain nobleman Tertullus, a pagan. The virgin Ariadne was his slave and a Christian. On the day of the birth of his son, Tertullus arranged a great sacrifice to the idols, to which the pious Ariadne did not go but remained at home praying to the true God. Her master became angry with her for this and began to compel her to renounce Christ and bow down before the idols. But when Ariadne refused to do so, he tortured her with beatings and other cruel torments, then cast her into prison. Then he released her from prison and drove her from his house; but he soon repented of having released her and sent servants to seize her and bring her back. Ariadne had already gone some distance from the city. When she saw her pursuers, she prayed to God by a great rock, and the rock opened and hid Ariadne. The servants were confounded by this, quarreled among themselves and began fighting, and perished by one another's hand.