Bassa of Cyzicus

Holy Martyr Bassa of Cyzicus lived around the year 300, at the beginning of the fourth century, and died a martyr in the region of Cyzicus on the Propontis (Sea of Marmara). The tradition about her is tied to that of Saint Bassa and her sons, Theognis, Agapius and Pistus.

Raised from childhood in the Christian faith, she passed it on to her sons. Her husband, a pagan priest, denounced her and the children to the governor in the time of Maximian Galerius (305 to 311). The boys refused to offer sacrifice to idols: Theognis was raked with iron claws and then beheaded, Agapius had his skin flayed from head to chest without uttering a sound, and the youngest, Pistus, was tortured and beheaded. Bassa was imprisoned and weakened by hunger, but an angel strengthened her with heavenly food. Through her tortures she remained unharmed by fire, water and beasts; in a temple she shattered a statue of Zeus. She was thrown into a whirlpool of the sea, but a ship sailed up and three radiant men pulled her out; Saint Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain thinks these were her martyred sons. After eight days she came by ship to the governor of the island of Alona, near Cyzicus; she was beaten with rods and beheaded. By the year 450 there was already a church in her honour at Chalcedon.

Saint Bassa is commemorated, with her sons, on 21 August (new style).