Martyrs Amphianus (Apphianus) and Edesius (Aidesius) of Lycia

Commemorated on April 2

The Holy Martyrs Amphianus and Edesius were brothers. They lived in the city of Patara (province of Lycia) in the family of the pagan governor. They went to the city of Beirut to study the pagan sciences. There they became ardent followers of Christ.

The holy brothers left their pagan parents and went to Alexandrian Caesarea, where they found an instructor, St Pamphilius (February 16), and under his guidance they became accomplished in the spiritual life, spending their time in prayer and the study of sacred books.

By decree of the emperor Maximian (305-313), a zealous pagan and cruel persecutor of Christians, all the inhabitants of Caesarea were required to offer public sacrifice. Many Christians, including Sts Amphianus and Edesius, had to hide in order to avoid sacrificing to idols.

When the city prefect of Caesarea was about to offer sacrifice to idols, St Amphianus boldly went into the temple, took the prefect’s hand, and urged him to abandon his error and believe in Christ.

By order of the governor, soldiers seized St Amphianus, fiercely beat him and then threw him in prison. Two days later they led him to trial, where they beat him with iron rods and burned his body with bundles of flax soaked in oil.

The brave youth, steadfastly confessing his faith in Christ, was then thrown into the sea with a stone about his neck. Suddenly a storm arose, and the waves carried the martyr’s body to shore, where it was buried by Christians.

St Edesius, was tortured and sent to the copper mines.

After a while they freed St Edesius and sent him to Alexandria. There he boldly denounced the governor Hierokles for his extreme cruelty towards Christians. St Edesius was tortured and then drowned.

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