Callinicus of Galatia

Holy Martyr Callinicus of Galatia was one of the many martyrs of Galatia who died for Christ beside the Holy Meletius the Commander, around the year 218. The Church commemorates him on 6 June (new style).

In the time of the Roman emperor Antoninus Heliogabalus (218-222), the Holy Martyr Meletius was commander of the province of Galatia. He was a Christian and prayed earnestly that the Lord would put an end to pagan error. Terrified by his prayer, the demons that dwelt in the pagan shrines entered dogs, which struck fear into the inhabitants by their howling. Saint Meletius, with his soldiers, destroyed the maddened dogs, tore down the shrines, and was seized and brought to the judgment of the governor Maximian. Because he refused to sacrifice to idols, he was tortured and died without ceasing to confess Christ. The tribunes of his regiment, the Holy Martyrs Stephen and John, were beheaded for confessing Christ as the true God.

The other soldiers of the regiment, who also declared themselves Christians, were put to the sword with their wives and children, and 1218 people died in torments, by some sources 11,000. The Holy Martyrs Theodore and Faustus, with many others, were burned. Of the women and children who suffered, the martyrs Marciana, Sosanna and Palladia and the infants Cyriacus and Christian are known. The names of some of the soldiers, the twelve tribunes, are also known: Faustus, Fistus, Marcellus, Theodore, Meletius, Sergius, Marcellinus, Felix, Photinus, Theodoriscus, Mercurius and Didymus.

The Holy Martyr Serapion was born in Egypt. He came to Galatia and was a witness of the martyr's struggle of Saint Meletius and his soldiers. Seeing the courage with which those who believed in Christ died for Him, Serapion himself believed and for this was imprisoned. In prison an angel of the Lord came down to him and consecrated him a bishop. Among those commemorated with them is also Callinicus, called in the list of the saints "the sorcerer".