Antoninus of Apamea

Holy Martyr Antoninus of Apamea (also called Anthony) was a stonemason in Apamea of Syria, on the river Orontes, and received a martyr's death in the fourth century. The Church commemorates him on 9 November (22 November by the new calendar).

He came from Apamea and worked in stone. Seeing the pagans worship idols and offer them sacrifices, he urged them to stop. When they would not listen, he withdrew to a deserted place, where he met a hermit named Theotimus and lived with him for two years.

Strengthened by the prayers of Theotimus, Antoninus returned to the people, destroyed the idols and drew upon himself the anger of the pagans, who beat him. The local bishop then asked him to build a church in honour of the Most Holy Trinity. The saint set to work, but one night the pagans seized him and cut his body to pieces with swords. His remains were buried in a cave at Apamea.

He was venerated in Syria after his death. By the early sixth century a church built in his name already stood. According to Theodoret of Cyrrhus, the feast established in his honour took the place in Apamea of a pagan festival that had been kept at the same season. The basilica raised over his tomb was destroyed in the time of the Persian shah Khosrow II. An akathist has been composed for the martyr.