Holy Martyr Eusignius

Life

He was a soldier under Emperor Maximian, under Emperor Constantine the Great, and under his sons. He was present at the suffering of the holy Martyr Basiliscus (May 22), and saw a multitude of angels and the Lord Jesus Himself receiving the soul of this holy martyr from the angels. He served as a soldier under Emperor Constantine and beheld the cross that appeared to Constantine. Having served in the army a full sixty years, he retired from military service in the time of Constantine's sons and settled in Antioch, his native city. There he led a God-pleasing life in fasting, prayer, and good works. In the time of Julian the Apostate, two quarreling men on the street took him for a judge. He rendered justice to the righteous one, for which the guilty party became enraged, went to the emperor, and accused Eusignius of being a Christian. The emperor summoned Eusignius to trial, but Eusignius exposed the emperor terribly for his apostasy from the faith, and rebuked him by the shining example of the great Constantine. The embittered Julian ordered that his head be cut off. Eusignius suffered in deep old age in the year 362 and moved to the heavenly Kingdom.

From the Hymn of Praise

Pontius walked with his friend Valerius,But his heart was seized with sorrow.A senator his father, his mother a senator's wife,Yet a bitter riddle tormented his soul.