Aronos of Rome

Holy Martyr Aronos of Rome is counted among the ten martyrs who suffered together with Saint Lucia, in the year 301, in the time of the persecution of Diocletian. They are commemorated together on 19 July: Lucia, Rix, also called Autius, Anthony, Lucian, Isidore, Dion, Diodorus, Cutonius, Aronos, Capicus and Satur. Nothing is said of Aronos in particular, except his name.

Saint Lucia, born in the Italian region of Campania, gave herself to God from her youth and lived strictly and purely. While still very young she was taken captive by Rix, the chieftain of a Germanic tribe, and led away to a foreign land. At first Rix forced her to carry out the pagan rites, but, seeing her firmness in the faith and her readiness to accept torments for the Name of Christ, he came to respect her deeply. He gave her and her maidservants a house of their own, where they lived in solitude in unceasing prayer. When he set out for war, Rix asked reverently for her prayers and returned victorious.

After twenty years, learning that Emperor Diocletian had raised a persecution against the Christians, Lucia asked Rix to let her go to Italy. She wished to glorify the Lord together with her countrymen. Rix, under the influence of Saint Lucia, had meanwhile accepted Christianity, and he burned with a longing for martyrdom. He left his palace and family and set out with her for Rome. By the sentence of the Roman prefect Elius they were beheaded. After them Anthony, Lucian, Isidore, Dion, Diodorus, Cutonius, Aronos, Capicus and Satur were beheaded.