Hieromartyrs Emilian the Bishop and Those with Him, Hilarion, Dionysius and Hermippus (+c. 300)
The Hieromartyrs Emilian the bishop and with him Hilarion, Dionysius and Hermippus were born and lived in Armenia. After the death of their parents the brothers Emilian, Dionysius and Hermippus, together with their teacher Hilarion, left their homeland and went to Italy. Here Saint Emilian tirelessly preached the Gospel among the pagans. By his strict and pious life he earned the deep respect of the Christian community and was appointed Bishop of the city of Trebia. His consecration was performed by Marcellinus, Pope of Rome. Having moved to Trebia, the hierarch set many of the godless on the way of salvation, for which he was seized and brought before the tribunal of the Emperor Maximian (284–305; 307–310). Emilian proposed to the ruler that he see for himself the power of prayer offered to Christ. A paralysed man was brought who had long been confined to his bed. The priests had tried hard to heal him, but could do nothing. Then Emilian prayed and in the name of Jesus Christ commanded the sick man to rise. And he rose, completely healed, and ran home with joy. This miracle was so convincing that the emperor began to incline towards the Christian faith, but the magi persuaded him that the hierarch was acting by sorcery.
The martyr was bound to a wheel, thrown into boiling tin, thrown to the beasts to be torn apart, but he remained unharmed. Shaken by the wondrous sights, the people cried: “Great is the God of the Christians! Let His servant be set free!” That day a thousand men believed in Christ and, adorned with the martyr’s crown, entered the Kingdom. The tormentor, beside himself, ordered even the beasts that had not touched the hierarch to be killed, while Emilian thanked the Lord that even wild beasts were dying for the glory of Christ. Saint Emilian with his brothers and his teacher was thrown into prison. Hilarion, Dionysius and Hermippus were beheaded after torture. Emilian was put to death outside the city. When the executioner struck the blessed one’s neck with his sword, it bent like wax and could do the Lord’s chosen one no harm. The soldiers fell at the holy father’s feet, asked his forgiveness and confessed Christ as the true God. The Hieromartyr Emilian knelt and prayed for them, and besought the Lord to make him worthy of a martyr’s end. The saint’s prayer was heard: a second executioner beheaded him. At the sight of milk gushing from the wound many pagans believed in Christ the Saviour. They reverently committed the blessed martyr’s precious body to the earth (+c. 300).
