Holy Martyr Zosimas the Soldier (II)

The holy Martyr Zosimas lived in the Thracian city of Apollonia in the reign of Trajan (98–117), the persecutor of Christians. When the persecution of Christians began, he left military service and joined the true God-fearing. The lawless denounced the Lord’s chosen one to Domitian, the governor of Antioch. Standing before the tribunal, Zosimas boldly confessed Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. For this the martyr was cruelly tortured. By the governor’s order he was laid on a red-hot bed, but, protected by the grace of the sign of the cross, he felt no pain at all. Domitian gave orders for the saint to be made to walk in sandals with nails driven through the soles. Then the blessed Zosimas was thrown into prison hungry and thirsty. An angel renewed the strength of the exhausted man with bread and water. When they could not bend the confessor of Christ with long and unbearable torments, the powerless tormentors cut off his head. The saint commended his soul to the Lord in prayer.