Holy Martyr Heliconis (244)

The holy Martyr Heliconis (+244) lived in the city of Thessalonica in the third century. During the persecution of Christians the saint came to Corinth and began to preach Christianity among the pagans, for which she was seized and brought before the governor of the city, Perinius. The holy confessor was cruelly beaten and thrown into a red-hot furnace, but came out of the fire unharmed. The governor accused the saint of sorcery and again handed her over to the executioners to be tortured; then he ordered the torture to stop, and promised Heliconis honour and the rank of priestess if she would perform the rite of idol-worship. Suddenly the saint agreed. The delighted priests and people led the martyr to the temple with shouts of joy and, at her own request, left her alone. By God’s will Heliconis was suddenly filled with giant strength and broke all the idols. The horrified priests demanded that she be put to death. While the holy confessor was shut in prison awaiting punishment, the Saviour appeared to her, accompanied by the holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, and healed her of her wounds. Five days later three starving lions were let in to Heliconis, but the beasts came up to her meekly and licked her feet. The savage pagan mob demanded that the saint be killed. The lions rushed out of the cell and fell upon the people. By Perinius’s order the saint was beheaded. This happened in 244. The Christians buried the martyr’s remains with honour.