Andrew of Syracuse

Holy Martyr Andrew of Syracuse is commemorated together with the martyrs John, John's children, Peter and Antoninus. They suffered in the ninth century, in the time of the cruel rule of Ibrahim in Africa. They are commemorated on 6 October.

After taking and destroying the Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim took captive Saint John and his two children, Peter and Antoninus, and led them to Africa, where he forced them to learn the Arabic language and sciences. When the young men had grown, Prince Ibrahim came to love them for their wisdom and virtuous life so much that he called Antoninus his relative and made Peter chief steward. But learning that the young men secretly confessed faith in Christ, Ibrahim was filled with uncontrollable fury and ordered them put in iron stocks and beaten with knotted staves. After a long beating, they set Saint Antoninus on a donkey and, tied with straps, led him through the city, beating and reviling him. The martyr bore all the insults and thanked God. Saint Peter, after a cruel beating with staves, was thrown into prison. The martyrs' father, John, was ordered brought. The cruel Ibrahim seized him by the neck with his left hand and with his right plunged a knife into his throat. The father's body was thrown with the bodies of his children, and by Ibrahim's order a great fire was lit into which the bodies of the holy martyrs were thrown.

The old man Andrew the cruel tormentor kept hungry a long time, then pierced with a spear in the chest. When the martyr began to give thanks to God in prayer, Ibrahim pierced him a second time. To the righteous man, who was bleeding, the tormentors cut off the head with a sword.