Holy Martyrs Theodotos, Theodote, Golinduch, Diomedes, Eulampios and Asklepiades

Sts. Theodotos, Theodote, Golinduch, Diomedes, Eulampios and Asklepiades (Feast Day - July 3)

Verses

To Theodotos and Theodote.

Theodotos and Theodote were beheaded,
The God of gods gave them a worthy crown.

To Golinduch.

On behalf of God you were stretched out like the curtain of heaven,
Golinduch was cut at the neck by the sword.

To Diomedes.

Diomedes made a drink offering the blood of the Lord,
Having made no drink offering to the demonic enemy.

To Eulampios.

What O executioner do you say to him whose head is bent,
"Eulampios bends all his limbs to the sword?"

To Asklepiades.

Asklepiades enters the sea,
Where he seeks and finds the good pearl.

Because these Saints believed in Christ and confessed Him, they were apprehended by the impious emperor Trajan in the year 98. By him they were urged to renounce piety, and sacrifice to the idols, but they were not persuaded, and for this they underwent various punishments. Afterwards they were imprisoned together in the same prison as the Holy Martyr Hyacinth the Cubicularius, also commemorated on this day. By Saint Hyacinth himself they were made steadfast in their faith in Christ.

When Saint Hyacinth died and received the crown of martyrdom, the others were taken out of prison, and they were forced to eat from the sacrifices of the idols. These brave souls could not be forced to do so however, but instead rebuked the religion of the idols. For this they were suspended on wooden stakes and lacerated. After they were taken down and their honorable heads were cut off, and in this way they victoriously ascended into the heavens. Their honorable relics were honorably buried by certain Christians of that place where they were martyred.