Asclepiades of Smyrna

Holy Martyr Asclepiades of Smyrna suffered in the time of the persecution of Decius (249-251) in the city of Smyrna, together with the priests Pionius and Linus and the martyrs Sabina and Macedonia. Smyrna was a famous trading city of antiquity, on the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea. Its Church had been founded by the Holy Apostle John the Theologian and was renowned for the steadfastness of its confessors of Christ. They are commemorated on 24 March; their names are not included in the present calendar of the Russian Church.

Learning of the beginning of the persecution, Pionius, Sabina and Asclepiades prepared themselves for suffering in strict fasting and more frequent prayer. Pionius took three plaited chains and put them on himself and his companions. The saints were seized by the persecutors on 23 February, on the day of the commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyr Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (died 167), a day of feast for all the Christians of Smyrna. After a short questioning they were led to prison. In the prison Pionius and his companions met Linus, a priest of the great church of Smyrna, and a woman, Macedonia, from the village of Karina, also bound in chains for the confession of the Name of the Lord. Many of the faithful visited them, each bringing what he could, but the saints gave everything to the jailers. There came to Pionius also those who had once been Christians but out of fear of torments had offered sacrifice to the idols, and asked for his prayers. Pionius wept bitterly for the faint-⁠hearted and urged them not to despair, but to repent from the heart and turn again to Christ with all their heart. After many torments, on 11 March 250 Saint Pionius was nailed to a cross. The cross was surrounded with wood and set alight. When the fire had burned out, all saw the saint's body whole and unharmed, not even the hair of his head burned. His face was bright and shone with divine grace.