Aphthonius

Saint Aphthonius of Persia was one of the executioners who suffered for Christ together with the martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Anempodistus and Elpidephorus, in Persia, in the time of King Shapur II (310 to 381). He is commemorated on 15 November.

Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were officials at the court of King Shapur and were Christians in secret. When the king began a persecution, envious men denounced them. Summoned to the king's judgment, the saints fearlessly confessed their faith in the Holy Trinity. The king ordered them whipped. Twice the weary executioners were replaced, but the martyrs uttered neither a cry nor a groan. The king himself gave way under the strain and fainted. Everyone thought him dead, but the saints cried out to God and the king came to himself. Awake, Shapur accused the saints of sorcery and ordered them hung over a fire to be smothered by smoke. At the saints' prayer the fire went out, and the ropes that bound them fell apart. When the king asked how this happened, the martyrs told him of Christ, who works such wonders.

Blinded with rage, the king began to blaspheme the Name of the Lord. The saints said: "May your mouth be silenced," and the king became mute. Frantic with fear and anger, he tried by signs to order the martyrs taken to prison. Those around him could not understand, and he began to rave: he tore off his mantle, pulled out his hair, struck himself in the face. Saint Acindynus took pity on him and, in the Name of the Lord, released him from his muteness. But this time too the king ascribed everything to sorcery and went on tormenting them. The martyrs were laid on an iron grate with a fire kindled beneath. The saints prayed. Suddenly rain fell and put out the fire. Seeing the wonders worked through the prayers of the martyrs, many believed in Christ and confessed their faith. The saints glorified God and called those who had believed to receive baptism by the rain sent upon them.

One of the executioners, Aphthonius, asked the martyrs' forgiveness before all for the sufferings he had caused them and went courageously to death for Christ. The nobleman Elpidephorus and the king's mother also confessed faith in the one true God. The king, seeing the number of Christians grow and how the torments of Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus strengthened the Christian faith, announced to the people that Acindynus, Pegasius, Anempodistus and Elpidephorus would be beheaded, and that Christians might take their bodies for burial. As the martyrs were led outside the city walls to the place of execution, a great crowd went with them, glorifying Christ. At the king's command the soldiers killed all the Christians in the procession, up to seven thousand. Elpidephorus was killed among them. Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus, with the king's mother, were burned the next day. The Christians, coming secretly by night to the place where they had been burned, found the bodies of the saints unharmed by the fire and buried them with honour.