The Holy Forty-Five Martyrs: Leontius, Maurice, Alexander, Sisinius, and the Others

Life

In the time of the wicked Emperor Licinius, who ruled the eastern part of the Byzantine Empire, there was a great persecution of Christians. In Nicopolis of Armenia, Saint Leontius presented himself with several of his friends before the imperial governor Lysius and declared that they were Christians. "And where is your Christ?" asked Lysius. "Was He not crucified, and did He not die?" To this Saint Leontius replied: "Since thou knowest that our Christ died, know also that He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven." After a long disputation about the faith, Lysius had them beaten and cast into prison, where they were given neither food nor drink. A certain noble Christian woman, Vlassiana, brought them water and passed it through the prison window. And an angel of God appeared to them in the prison to comfort and encourage them. When the trial took place, two prison guards also presented themselves to Lysius as converted Christians, and many others as well — forty-five in all. The judge condemned them all to death: first their hands and feet were to be cut off with axes, and afterward they were to be cast into the fire. This terrible sentence was carried out to the letter, and the souls of the holy martyrs flew to their Lord into eternal life. They honorably suffered and inherited the Kingdom in the year 319.

From the Hymn of Praise

The mother of Elioz counseled him:"Elioz, O apple of mine eye,Thou goest now to the emperor's hostInto the very land of my forefathers.