Martyr Callioppus (+304)

The holy Martyr Callioppus (+304) was born in the Pamphylian city of Perga. His father was a well-known senator, and his mother a pious woman, Theoclia. For a long time Theoclia had no child, and with fervent prayers she besought the Lord to grant her an heir. God heard her entreaty and gave her a son, but after the birth of the son her husband died. The widowed Theoclia brought up her son as a Christian.

Soon a cruel persecution of Christians began. Theoclia learned that her son too had been denounced to the pagans, and sent him to Cilicia. When the saint arrived in Cilicia, the city was celebrating a pagan festival. The young man was invited to take part in the feast. Saint Callioppus refused and openly confessed Christ. Maximus, the governor of the city, promised Callioppus that he would give him his daughter in marriage if he offered sacrifice to the idols. On receiving a refusal Maximus ordered the young man to be cruelly tortured. The saint was beaten with dried ox sinews, then bound to an iron wheel and slowly roasted over a low fire, and at last thrown half-dead into prison.

When Theoclia heard what had happened to her son, she made her will, set her slaves free, gave her property to the poor, and went to her son in prison; she gave the guards money, went into the cell, and encouraged her son.

The next day Maximus ordered the young man to be crucified. The day of the execution fell on Great Thursday.

Theoclia asked the guards to nail her son to the cross head downwards, for she did not consider him worthy to die in the same way as the Saviour. Her request was granted. The holy martyr hung on the cross until Great Friday and died on the day of the Saviour’s crucifixion.

When her son’s body was taken down from the cross, his mother pressed it to her heart, gave thanks to the Saviour, and herself gave up her soul to the Lord. The Christians buried the bodies of mother and son together.