Holy Martyr Hippolytus

Life

Hippolytus was a military commander and overseer of the prisons in Rome, born and raised as a pagan. When Saint Laurence the Archdeacon was cast into prison, Hippolytus was commanded by the emperor to keep special watch over this prisoner. Hippolytus saw with his own eyes how Laurence restored sight to the blind Lucillus and healed many other sick people, and he believed in Christ. When Laurence baptized him, Hippolytus had a heavenly vision and said: "I saw innocent souls in great joy" (that is, in heaven). Then he took Laurence to his own house, and Laurence baptized his entire household, who together with the old nurse Concordia numbered nineteen. When Laurence was slain for Christ, Hippolytus by night took the body of the martyr, wrapped it in a burial cloth, and honorably buried it. But this somehow came to the ears of Emperor Decius, and on the third day after the death of Laurence, Hippolytus was seized and brought before the emperor. Since he would not renounce the true faith, he was struck upon the mouth with stones. Then the emperor ordered that he be stripped naked and scourged. Naked before the emperor, Hippolytus said to the emperor: "You have not stripped me but have begun to clothe me!" Then they stretched him out on the ground and scourged him mercilessly, and Hippolytus only cried out: "I am a Christian!" Hearing that Hippolytus's entire household were all Christians, the emperor commanded that they all be brought. The old Concordia said: "We more than desire to die honorably with our master in the Faith of Christ rather than to live dishonorably with you impious ones." She was the first to be slain, and after her the other eighteen, all before the eyes of Hippolytus. Finally Hippolytus was tied to a wild horse and dragged hither and thither until the martyr surrendered his soul to God.

From the Hymn of Praise

A peasant hut raised the saint,The Orthodox Church nourished his spirit.Tikhon the hierarch shone like a starAnd revealed the spiritual mysteries to the world: