Agapitus of Synada

Saint Agapitus of Synada (Agapitus the Confessor) was bishop of Synada, born in Cappadocia into a Christian family, and a confessor of the faith in the fourth century. He is commemorated on 18 February by the old calendar (in leap years, 19 February according to the Russian source).

He was born into a Christian family in Cappadocia, in eastern Asia Minor, in the reign of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. While still young he received the monastic habit in one of the monasteries of Cappadocia and, for his strict labours, enjoyed in the monastery the love and respect of all. For his ascetic life he had from above the gift of working wonders: once, by prayer, he killed a snake, then healed a girl who suffered from a severe bodily illness. The emperor Licinius, learning that Agapitus had great physical strength, ordered him taken from the monastery and, against his will, enrolled among his soldiers. Fulfilling the duties of military service, Agapitus did not give up the monastic labours either, so that, according to contemporaries, merely by his appearance he began to heal severe illnesses with seizures. In the time of Licinius' persecution of Christians he joined the martyrs Victor, Dorotheus, Theodulus and Agrippa and was wounded by a spear, but survived.

After the death of Licinius and the accession to the throne of the emperor Constantine the Great, the latter summoned the saint and commanded him to bring his servant, possessed by demons. Agapitus healed him by the power of prayer. At the emperor's wish to reward the saint, Agapitus asked permission to leave military service and return to the monastic life he had chosen. After some time the bishop of the city of Synada called the monk Agapitus and, despite the ascetic's resistance, ordained him priest. After the bishop's death the clergy and townspeople of Synada chose Agapitus as the new head of the diocese of Synada. With the receiving of the episcopal rank, Bishop Agapitus received the gift of prophetic insight.

A miracle is also told: the bishop of the city of Kelainai told Saint Agapitus that the river Meander, which flows near the city, in the winter months fills with water so much that it floods the fields and spoils the crops. After the prayer of Bishop Agapitus the river began to change its bed, which in science later received the name of meandering. He died at Synada (today Suhut) in great old age and was glorified among the confessors.