Holy Martyrs Thaiphalus and His Sister Thibaea (+98–138); Holy Martyr Sarbelus

The holy Martyr Thaiphalus and his sister Thibaea (or Bebaia) were put to death for their bold and successful preaching of the Christian faith among the pagans, according to one account in the reign of Trajan (98–117), according to other sources in that of Hadrian (117–138). After long and cruel torture Saint Thaiphalus was hung on a tree and sawn apart, while his sister Thibaea was killed with a spear-thrust in the throat. (On 15 October the Church commemorates Saints Sarbelus and Bebaia. It is supposed that Bebaia is the same as Thibaea, Thaiphalus’s sister; some identify Sarbelus with Thaiphalus himself, while others think that the name of Thaiphalus should be included separately among the saints of 15 October together with Sarbelus and Bebaia.)