Holy Martyrs Theodulia, Helladius, Macarius and Evagrius (+c. 304)

The holy Martyr Theodulia lived in the city of Anazarbus in the time of the Roman Emperors Diocletian (284–305) and Maximian (305–311). The governor of the city, Pelagius, was distinguished by exceeding cruelty. His servants searched out Christians throughout the region and brought them to the tribunal, where, after the king’s decree had been heard, they were forced to bow down to the idols. Once a Christian woman, Theodulia, was brought before the governor. She declared: “I am a Christian. This is my honourable and eternal name, while people call me Theodulia. I confess the one true God and have no intention of bowing down to a stone.”

Pelagius flew into a rage; the courageous confessor was hung up by her hair and torn with red-hot iron hooks, but, protected by the grace of God, she felt no pain. The head of the city said: “Our gods are merciful; they know that you will turn to them, and so they protect you from pain.” The saint answered: “Where are these gods of yours who protect me? Show them to me, so that I may pay them honour!” The martyr was taken to the temple of Hadrian, a dead lawless emperor who had been counted a god. Theodulia called on the true God in prayer, and then breathed on the idol of Hadrian and shattered it to pieces. Pelagius was horrified: if news of the idol’s destruction reached the emperor, he would not escape death! The head of the city fell at the martyr’s feet and asked her to restore the statue of the false god, promising in return to accept Christianity. Theodulia called on the Lord again, and by the power of her prayer the idol returned to its place; but Pelagius not only did not keep his word, he began to torture the martyr with still greater fury. During the torture a certain Helladius, an overseer of prisoners, came to the governor and asked to be entrusted with converting Theodulia; he hoped to win fame and receive honour from the head of the city.

Helladius brought terrible torments upon the blessed bride of Christ, exceeding even Pelagius himself in cruelty. With fervent prayer Theodulia asked God for strength to endure. And God heard His chosen one’s supplication and healed her of her wounds. The tormentor was horrified, and Theodulia said to him: “Become a Christian, and you will receive eternal honour in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead!” By prayer and exhortation the saint led Helladius to the knowledge of the true God. At last the lawless man believed in Christ, courageously confessed Him before the governor, and received a martyr’s crown: the godless beheaded him with a sword and threw his body into the sea.

Saint Theodulia was thrown into a fire kindled in a furnace, but remained unharmed; then she was laid on a pan and boiling pitch, wax and oil were poured over her; but the red-hot pan was shattered to pieces, and the fire destroyed those standing around, among them the head of the city Pelagius, who met a terrible death, while Theodulia herself this time too took no harm at all.

Many people who saw this miracle believed in Christ. Among them were the noblemen Macarius and Evagrius. The pagans continued to torture the Christians with still greater cruelty. They heated the furnace again and threw Saint Theodulia, Macarius, Evagrius and many other Christians into it.

The blessed martyrs met their end in prayer and inherited eternal life.