Abdiphaxes of Persia

Holy Martyr Abdiphaxes of Persia was the son of Marinus and Martha and the brother of Abachum. The family came from Persia to Rome in the time of Emperor Claudius II (268-270), to venerate the tombs of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and suffered there for Christ. Abdiphaxes was beheaded with the sword in the year 269. He is commemorated on 19 July.

Rome was then struck by persecution. Marinus, Martha and their sons set themselves to serve the Christians in the prisons and to bury the bodies of the slain martyrs. With a priest, John, they gathered by night the bodies of the two hundred and sixty Christians shot with arrows on the Via Salaria and carried them to the catacombs. They drew from the Tiber and buried the body of the prisoner Cyrinus, who had been killed and thrown into the water. They were received and hidden by the Christians who served in secret, led by Bishop Callistus.

The persecutors also seized the priest Valentine, who was beheaded together with an official, Asterius, and the ascetics from Persia were arrested and tormented. By the emperor's command Marinus, Abdiphaxes and Abachum were beheaded, and their mother, Martha, was drowned in the river. The relics of the four martyrs are in Rome, in the church of Saint John the Hut-⁠dweller.