Holy Martyrs Aristocles the Presbyter, Demetrian the Deacon and Athanasius the Reader (c. 306)

The holy Martyrs Aristocles the Presbyter, Demetrian the Deacon and Athanasius the Reader suffered for Christ in the reign of Maximian Galerius (305–311).

Aristocles the Presbyter, a native of the city of Tamassos, served in the cathedral church. When the persecution of Christians began, he fled to the mountains for fear of the torture that awaited him and took refuge in a cave. Once, during prayer, light shone upon the saint and he heard the Lord’s command calling him to return to the island of Cyprus and to martyrdom for Christ. Aristocles obediently followed the heavenly blessing. On the way the saint called in at the church of the Apostle Barnabas, where he met the deacon Demetrian and the reader Athanasius and told them of the vision. Demetrian and Athanasius decided to shed their blood together with him to the glory of the all-good God.

Arriving in the city of Salamis, the saints began to preach Christianity, for which the pagans seized them and brought them before the governor. He soon became convinced that it was impossible to bend the confessors, and ordered Aristocles to be beheaded and Demetrian and Athanasius to be burned. The fire could do the martyrs no harm, and at last they too were beheaded with the sword. The martyrs died in 306.