Anthimus of Cilicia

Holy Martyr Anthimus of Cilicia is commemorated together with the Holy Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian of Arabia and their brothers the martyrs Leontius and Eutropius. They are commemorated on 30 October; Cosmas and Damian the Church also commemorates on 17 October.

Cosmas and Damian came from Arabia, contemporaries of the unmercenary physicians of Rome. Like those, they practised medical science, but science helped them little in healing diseases. Receiving from God the gift of working wonders, they healed people's diseases in the Name of Christ the Saviour. As soon as the report of their wonders and teaching reached the governor Lysias, an order was given to seize them. Brought to Cilicia, they were presented to the governor. Questioning them about faith, name and homeland, the governor ordered them to sacrifice to the idols. When they would not carry out the order and boldly confessed their faith in Christ, he ordered them beaten without mercy and then, bound, thrown into the sea. But the Lord saved them from drowning: an angel loosed their bonds and brought them to land in perfect health. This miraculous rescue was attributed to sorcery. The governor asked them by what sorcery they had escaped the sea, saying that he wished to imitate their teaching. The martyrs answered that they were Christians and knew no sorcery, but had only the power of Christ, who saves them from all troubles.

Angered, the governor would speak no more and shut them in prison, and the next day ordered them thrown into the fire. But the Lord kept them: the fire lost its natural power and did not touch them. The governor marvelled but, not knowing Who saved them, tried other torments on them, all in vain. He hung them up and ordered them first struck with stones, then with arrows, but the stones and arrows bounced off their bodies as off walls and struck the tormentors. Finding no other means, the governor ordered them beheaded with the sword. With them three more Christians suffered: Leontius, Anthimus and Eutropius. All five martyrs, who suffered together, were buried together. The time of their suffering is not known with certainty; it is beyond doubt only that they suffered at the end of the third century, in the time of Diocletian and Maximian.