Saint Martyr Hermenegild the Prince

Life

Hermengild was the son of Leovigild, king of the Goths, who held to the Arian heresy. But Hermenegild did not depart from Orthodoxy despite all the flattery and threats of his cruel heretical father. His father cast him into prison, and on Pascha morning sent a certain heretical bishop to commune him. But the saint of God refused to receive communion from the hands of a heretic, about which the bishop informed the king. The king became enraged and commanded that the executioners cut off Hermenegild's honorable head in the year 586. Later, Leovigild repented of killing his son, renounced the heresy, and returned to Orthodoxy.