Holy Martyrs Agathopous and Theodulus

Life

The first was a deacon and the second a reader of the church in Thessalonica; the first adorned with the grey hair of old age and the second with the chastity of youth. In the time of Diocletian's persecution of Christians, these two were summoned before the court. With joy they answered the summons, and holding one another by the hand they went crying out: "We are Christians!" All the counsels of the judge, that they should renounce Christ and bow down to idols, remained in vain. After prolonged imprisonment and starvation they were condemned to death by drowning in the sea. Then their hands were bound behind them and a heavy stone was hung about the neck of each, and they were led away to be drowned. When they first sought to cast Agathopous into the deep, he cried out: "Behold, by a second baptism we wash ourselves clean of all our sins and depart pure to Christ Jesus!" The sea soon cast their drowned bodies upon the shore, and the Christians buried them with honor. Saint Theodulus appeared to his acquaintances, radiant as an angel, in white raiment, and commanded them to distribute all his remaining possessions to the poor. These wondrous soldiers of Christ suffered honorably in the time of Emperor Diocletian and the governor of Thessalonica, Faustinus, in the year 303.

From the Hymn of Praise

### The Prayer of Saint Mark