Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus (+308)
The holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus (+308) met their end in Amasea of Pontus in 308.
The brothers Eutropius and Cleonicus, and Basiliscus, nephew of the holy Great Martyr Theodore the Tyro (commemorated 17 February), were friends. After the martyr’s end of Saint Theodore they were thrown into prison, where they converted many prisoners to the law of Christ.
Asclepiodotus, the new ruler of Amasea, summoned the faithful confessors of Christ. By his order the believers were cruelly beaten. During the torture Saint Eutropius prayed aloud: “Give us, O Lord, the strength of endurance, grant us the crown of martyrdom, and come to our help, as Thou camest to Thy servant Theodore.” In answer to the prayer the Lord Himself appeared to the holy martyrs with angels and with the Great Martyr Theodore the Tyro, and promised them help.
The soldiers who were with the holy martyrs saw this appearance and asked Asclepiodotus to stop the torture. The ruler took fright and ordered the Christians to be led away; then he summoned Eutropius and advised him to offer sacrifice publicly to the pagan gods while remaining a Christian in his heart. The saint refused.
The next day the holy martyrs were brought to a pagan temple and ordered to perform idol-worship. Eutropius raised a prayer to the Saviour: “O Lord, be with us, put an end to the madness of the pagans, that Christians may offer the bloodless sacrifice to Thee, the true God.” As soon as the prayer was finished, the earth shook, the idol of the temple was shattered, and a voice was heard from heaven: “Your prayers have been heard. A church for the prayer of Christians shall be built here.”
When the earthquake was over, Asclepiodotus ordered stakes to be driven into the ground, the saints to be tied to them, and boiling pitch to be poured over them. The saints began to pray, and Eutropius called out to the tormentors: “May the Lord turn your deeds upon yourselves.” The martyrs’ bodies miraculously threw off the boiling pitch, and it burned the executioners. Those who saw this were struck with terror, while the enraged ruler ordered the saints’ bodies to be torn with iron pincers and mustard with salt and vinegar to be poured on the wounds. The saints endured this torment too with amazing calm.
On 3 March Saints Eutropius and Cleonicus were crucified, while Basiliscus was exiled to Abkhazia.
On 22 March, in the city of Comana, Saint Basiliscus was beheaded and his body was thrown into the river. Christians found his remains and buried them. Later a church dedicated to Saint Basiliscus was built in Comana.
