Aquilina of Byblos

The holy martyr Aquilina of Byblos was a Christian child of the Phoenician city of Byblos (today in Lebanon) who suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Diocletian at the age of twelve. The Church remembers her on 13 June (26 June in the new style). In Russia her name became Akulina, and her image turned into that of "Akulina of the buckwheat", patroness and helper of the buckwheat harvest.

Childhood

Byblos was under Roman rule, and Christianity had been there since the time of the Apostles, but Christians were a minority among pagans, and some Roman governors persecuted them. Aquilina was born around 281, and her father, Eutolmius, was a Christian. He died when she was little, and her mother raised her in piety. She received her catechism from Euthalios, bishop of Byblos. By seven she was steeped in the Christian life, and at ten to twelve she zealously urged her friends to faith in Christ. By her example and teaching, a pagan friend was converted to Christ.

The confession

A servant of Governor Volusian, named Nicodemus in some sources, overheard her and told his master that a young girl called the idols' gods demons, did not obey the emperors' commands, and was turning some from the religion of their fathers. Volusian had her brought and tried to persuade her with kind words and flattery. Seeing her firmness, he ordered her tortured.

She was struck on the face, then stripped and flogged. Then her ears were pierced with metal rods heated in fire, and the Serbian source adds that her brain was pierced as well, until blood ran from her head; she fell as if dead. The torturers thought she had died and ordered her thrown outside the city, to be eaten by dogs, or onto a rubbish heap. But, according to tradition, that night an angel appeared to her and said: "Arise and be healed. Go and denounce Volusian, so that he and his plans may come to nothing."

Aquilina came to herself and, according to tradition, the city gate opened of its own accord before her. She entered the governor's palace and presented herself before him. He was seized by unspeakable terror at the sight of the girl alive. The next day he condemned her to be put to the sword, as a sorceress who disregarded the emperor's decrees. Before the executioner could carry out the sentence, the martyr knelt, prayed to God and gave up her spirit. Her head was cut off after her death.

Veneration

The Christians buried her body outside the city, where her tomb became a place of pilgrimage and healing. Later her relics were taken to Constantinople, where a great basilica was built in her honour near the Forum of Constantine, in the Philoxenus quarter. The basilica was later destroyed by fire.