Holy Martyrs Lucian and His Companions Claudius, Hypatius, Paul and Dionysius, and the Virgin Martyr Paula (270–275)

Lucian was a pagan priest in the time of the Roman Emperor Aurelian (270–275). When he was already advanced in years, he became convinced of the powerlessness of his religion, believed with all his heart in the salvation of Christ, and was baptised.

Under the influence of his preaching many pagans were converted to the true faith. The Jews could not accept the growing number of Christians, and denounced Lucian to Silvanus, the governor of Nicomedia. Silvanus tried to turn the old man back to idol-worship, but received a firm refusal in reply. Then by his order the former priest was cruelly tortured: his jaws were broken, he was beaten with rods, hung head downwards, and shut up in prison. There he met four youths imprisoned for confessing Christ: Claudius, Hypatius, Paul and Dionysius. Lucian strengthened them by his conversations. Shortly afterwards the saints were brought before the tribunal and thrown into a red-hot furnace, but suddenly rain came down from heaven and put out the fire, and the martyrs were saved unharmed. The governor passed sentence of death on them and sent them to Byzantium for execution, where the holy youths were slain with the sword, while Lucian was nailed to a cross.

An eyewitness of the martyrs’ labours was the holy virgin Paula, who had taken on the service of those who suffered for the faith of the Saviour. She brought food to the Christian prisoners, washed their wounds, gave them medicines, and buried the bodies of the martyrs. After the death of Lucian and the four youths she returned to Nicomedia and continued her labour, for which she was soon seized and thrown into a red-hot furnace. By God’s will the virgin remained unharmed. Then she too was sent to Byzantium and slain with the sword.