 |
| St. Eustochios and Those With Him (Feast Day - June 23) |
Verses
To Eustochios.
Divinely possessed you went to the sword Eustochios,
Keeping in mind the One who crowns.
Keeping in mind the One who crowns.
To Gaius.
Divine Gaius was like a secure door,
Though beheaded by the sword his soul remains unwounded.
Though beheaded by the sword his soul remains unwounded.
To Lollia.
You approached Christ through the sword Lollia,
As a bride you were painted rouge with your blood.
As a bride you were painted rouge with your blood.
To Probis.
From your neck there gushed forth a spring of blood,
Rejoicing Probis as you advance towards Christ.
Rejoicing Probis as you advance towards Christ.
To Urban.
You were cut at the neck by a sword Martyr Urban,
Making no sound like a sheared lamb.
Making no sound like a sheared lamb.
Saint Eustochios, his nephew Gaius, and his children Lollia, Probis and Urban, were from the city known as Ouasada,* during the reign of Maximian (286-305), when Agrippa was governor. Eustochios had been a priest of the idols. Later, when he saw the Saints witnessing for Christ, and performing paradoxical wonders, he turned away from the religion of the idols, and went to Bishop Eudoxios of Antioch, by whom he was baptized and received the office of Presbyter.
From there he went to a village in Lycaonia called Lystra, where he found his nephew Gaius and his three children Lollia, Probis and Urban, and he taught them the faith of Christ, then he baptized them together with all his other relatives. For this the Greeks apprehended him and brought him to the governor.
Because he confessed Christ, he was suspended to a wooden pole and lacerated harshly. He was then sent with those mentioned above to the governor Agrippa in Ancyra, by whom they were questioned, and he was unable to persuade them to deny Christ.
Therefore, first they took Saint Lollia and her brother Urban, had them placed opposite each other, and they were lacerated on their cheeks. Because Gaius reverently received their blood into his hands for sanctification, he was beaten on his back and stomach. Saint Eustochios was beheaded and received the crown of martyrdom.
On the next day Gaius and the children of Eustochios were bound to a brass wheel. However God kept them unharmed, by stopping the wheel from turning, and by extinguishing the fire that was burning under the wheel. For this reason their heads were shaved, and nails were hammered into them. Then the breasts of Probis and Lollia were cut off, and Urban was beaten with wooden swords.
Finally, because they were unable to be persuaded to deny Christ, but with a loud voice proclaimed Him and called upon Him, for this the blessed ones were beheaded, and ascended to the heavens bearing crowns.
Notes:
* Ouasada is also called Vasada and was an ancient city in the region of Lycaonia, Asia Minor. It is identified with the ruins on Mount Kestel Dağ near modern Seydişehir.
