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| Sts. Trophimos and Thallos (Feast Day - March 11) |
Verses
Amazing sumptuous food was found in heaven,
By the two athletes Thallos and Trophimos.
By the two athletes Thallos and Trophimos.
In the days of Diocletian and Maximian the emperors, when Asclepius was governor in Laodicea, in the year 298, a persecution took place against the Christians. At that time there lived Saints Trophimos and Thallos, who were from a city called Stratonica, and now is called Stratoniceia, and can be found in the region of Karia. They had been arrested for their confession of Christ, were stoned for many hours, and by divine grace remained unharmed. Seeing this wonder, the governor and those with him were shamed, and they left the Martyrs for a time to live without punishment. Later they were again arrested, stood before the judgment seat, and confessed before all that Christ was the true God, while they ridiculed the idols, and rebuked the tyrant, thereby driving him towards rage. For this the Saints were suspended on stakes naked, and their flesh was harshly lacerated. The Saints prayed, and ridiculed the Greeks, thereby igniting more rage from the tyrant, who ordered for them to die by means of the cross.
When the Martyrs went to the place of their punishment, a great crowd of people followed them. Having been crucified, they prayed for them, and spoke to the people that which benefited their souls. The people tried to grab the Saint's sacred bodies, while others tried to receive drops of their blood. Others tried to take their handkerchiefs, others their rings, and others whatever they could take, for their blessing and sanctification, to avert and prevent all manner of sufferings. Finally the Saints blessed all the Christians who were present, and sent them back to their homes, while they delivered their souls to the Lord, and received from Him the unfading crowns of martyrdom. Some pious Christians took their holy relics, wrapped them in sheets, and buried them in a sacred place. Then the wife of the governor Asclepius, went to anoint the casket containing the holy relics with myrrh and aromatic herbs, and wrapped it with a sheet of much value and worth. Later Zosimos and Artemios, the pious and faithful Christians, and a compatriot of the Saints, took the casket with the holy relics, and brought them back to their homeland of Stratonica, where they were treasured about a mile outside the city, in a place called Latomia.
