Aristion

Holy Hieromartyr Aristion was bishop of Little Alexandria (today Alexandretta, in Syria), and a martyr. The time in which he lived is not known. In the old Russian lives before the eighteenth century he is called Aristian or Ariston. The Church commemorates him on 3 September.

The oldest surviving Life, that in the Menologion of Basil II, says that Aristion was bishop in the coastal city of Little Alexandria, lying between the cities of Issus and Antioch, in Syria, and that he was seized by the ruler of the city for preaching Christianity. Before the ruler he confessed Christ as true God and was condemned to burning.

The most detailed Life of him was published in Greek by John G. Thalassinos, The Holy Hieromartyr Aristion (Athens, 2003). The book also contains his service, composed by Hieromonk Athanasius of the Simonopetra Monastery on Athos. According to this book, Aristion was born in the second century into a pagan family. At ten he came to the Christian faith through Saint Anthony (commemorated on 9 November), then became a bishop and suffered for Christ. But this Life contains a clear anachronism, since Anthony of Apamea lived in the fourth century. The information on Aristion in this book is taken from the Life contained in the Acta Sanctorum. The Serbian source gives the commemoration as 3 (19) September.