Holy Martyr Heliconis

Life

Born in Thessalonica and raised in Christian piety. In the time of Gordian and Philip she went to Corinth, where she loudly denounced all who offered sacrifices to idols. When the prefect Perinius counseled her to offer a sacrifice to the idol of Aesculapius, the martyr of Christ said to him: "Hear me, I am a handmaiden of Christ, and who Aesculapius is, I do not know. Do as thou wilt." For this she was brought to trial and subjected to terrible tortures. She was cast into fire; from her body much blood poured forth and extinguished the fire, yet she remained alive. She was thrown before lions — the lions did not touch her but fawned around her. Let into a temple supposedly to offer sacrifices to idols, she smashed the idols and thereby further enraged the torturer against her. While she lay all wounded in prison, the Lord Himself appeared to her with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, healed her wounds, and comforted and strengthened her. Then she was led to the place of execution to be beheaded by the sword. Before the beheading, Heliconis raised her hands on high and prayed to God, that God would receive her and unite her with His sheep in the heavenly fold. When she finished her prayer, a voice was heard from heaven: "Come, draw near, the crown and the throne are prepared for thee!" At last she was beheaded by the sword and received the crown of glory from the Lord, to Whom out of love she sacrificed herself as an innocent and pure lamb.