Holy Martyrs Theopemptus, Bishop of Nicomedia, and Theonas the Former Magician (+303)

Saints Theopemptus and Theonas suffered in Nicomedia. Saint Theopemptus was Bishop of Nicomedia in the time of Diocletian. He boldly denounced idol-worship. The lawless emperor summoned the preacher of Orthodoxy to his court and demanded that he bow down to the idol of Apollo. He received a firm refusal in answer. Then Theopemptus was thrown into a red-hot furnace, but God protected His follower. Diocletian attributed the miracle that had taken place to the saint’s sorcery and ordered him to be tormented with hunger and thirst for twenty-two days. Even this cruelty did the Lord’s chosen one no harm. Then the king asked the famous sorcerer Theonas for help. The magician gave the prisoner a poisoned cake to eat, but the poison had no effect. The stronger poison Theonas prepared also proved powerless before the hierarch’s holiness. Then the sorcerer recognised the powerlessness of his foul patron and confessed the true God. The former magician was shut up with the holy bishop. He baptised Theonas and named him Synesius, which means “made wise”.

In the morning Diocletian summoned Theopemptus once more and once more demanded that he deny Christ. The saint again stood unshaken. Then, by order of the savage tormentor, the courageous confessor was tortured with indescribable torments and beheaded. Saint Theonas too met a martyr’s end: he refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, for which he was buried alive. This happened in 303.