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Commemorated on June 18
The holy Martyrs
Leontius, Ipatius and Theodolus were Roman soldiers. The holy Martyr
Leontius, a Greek by origin, during the reign of Vespasian (70-79) served as a
military-chief in the imperial army in the Phoenician city of Tripoli. The
Christian Leontius was distinguished for his bravery and good sense, and the
people of Tripoli held him in deep regard for his virtue.
The emperor appointed
the Roman senator Adrian as governor of the Phoenician district, with full
powers to hunt out Christians, and in case of their refusal to offer sacrifice
to the Roman gods, to give them over to torture and death. And on his way to Phoenicia
Adrian received a report, that Saint Leontius had turned many away from
worshipping the pagan gods. The governor sent the tribune Ipatius with a
detachment of soldiers to Tripoli, so as to find and arrest the Christian
Leontius. Along the way the tribune Ipatius fell seriously ill, and being near
death, he saw in a dream an Angel, which said: "If thou wishest to be
healed, invoke thrice with thine soldiers: "God of Leontius, help
me". Opening his eyes Ipatius beheld the Angel and said: "I was sent
to arrest Leontius, how is it that I should appeal to his God?" At this
moment the Angel became invisible. Ipatius told about his dream to the soldiers,
among whose number was also his friend Theodolus, and all of them together
thrice called on the help of the God, Whose Name it was that Saint Leontius
confessed. Ipatius was immediately healed to the great joy of his soldiers, but
only Theodolus sat aside, pondering the miracle. His soul was filled with love
for God, and he told Ipatius to proceed twice as quickly to the city in search
of Saint Leontius.
Upon their arrival in
the city, a stranger met them and invited them to his house, where he lavishly
hosted the travellers. Learning that their hospitable host was Saint Leontius,
they fell on their knees and asked him to enlighten them with faith in the True
God. They were baptised here, and when Saint Leontius pronounced over them the
prayer calling on the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, a luminous cloud
overshadowed the newly-baptised and shed a graced rain. The remaining soldiers
in search of their commander arrived in Tripoli, where also had arrived the
governor Adrian. Learning about what had happened, he gave orders to bring him
Saints Leontius, Ipatius and Theodolus, and having threatened them with torture
and death, he demanded that they renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the
Roman gods. All the martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ. Saint
Ipatius was put under a column and struck at with iron claws, and Saint
Theodolus was mercilessly beaten with rods. Seeing the steadfastness of the
saints, they beheaded these two. And after torture, they sent Saint Leontius
off to prison. In the morning he came before the governor. Adrian tried to
entice the holy martyr with honours and rewards, and accomplishing nothing, he
gave him over to new tortures: the holy martyr was suspended head downwards
from a pillar with an heavy stone about his neck, but nothing was able to make
him renounce Christ. The governor gave orders to beat at the sufferer with rods
until such time as he died. They then threw the body of the holy Martyr
Leontius out beyond the city, but Christians reverently gave it burial near Tripoli.
The death of the holy martyrs occurred in about the years 70-79.
The accusation
against Saint Leontios, and his sufferings and death are recorded on tin
tablets prepared by the court scribe (commentarisius). These tablets were
placed at the grave of the holy martyr.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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