Calliopius

Holy Martyr Calliopius was a young Christian of Perge in Pamphylia who was imprisoned for refusing to take part in pagan festivals and was crucified head downward at Pompeiopolis in Cilicia in the year 304. He is commemorated on 7 April. Our input data also gives 310 as the year of his death, but the text of his life says 304.

He was born into a distinguished family, the only son of a senator. His mother, Theoclia, had long been childless and had prayed fervently that God would grant her a child. She was widowed soon after her son's birth, and she raised him in the Christian faith and taught him from childhood piety and purity of life.

When Calliopius was a young man a fierce persecution of Christians began; the Serbian source links it with the emperor Maximian. Learning that her son had been denounced, Theoclia sent him by ship to Cilicia, giving him enough money. Arriving at Pompeiopolis, the young man found festivals in honour of the pagan gods in progress. Invited to the banquets, he refused and declared that he was a Christian, and the people denounced him to Maximus, the governor of the city.

The governor first tried to persuade him to worship the gods, even promising him his own daughter in marriage. The young man firmly refused, and Maximus ordered him tortured: beaten on the back with rods of lead and on the belly with ox sinews, bound to an iron wheel and roasted over a slow fire. After the torments he was thrown into prison, covered with wounds.

Learning of her son's sufferings, Theoclia wrote her will, freed her slaves, gave her property to the poor and hastened to him. Paying the guards, she entered the prison, bound up his wounds and strengthened him to endure to the end his suffering for Christ.

The next day, at the trial, Calliopius would not renounce Christ and the governor ordered him crucified. The day of the sentence was Great Thursday, the day of remembrance of the Mystical Supper. Theoclia begged the guards to crucify him head downward, thinking him unworthy to be crucified like the Lord, and gave them some gold coins; they granted her wish. The martyr remained on the cross until Great Friday, while his mother stood beneath it and gave thanks to God.

When his body was taken down from the cross, Theoclia glorified the Saviour, embraced her son's lifeless body and gave up her own spirit to God. They were buried in the same grave. The Serbian Church commemorates him on 7 April by the Julian calendar, that is 20 April by the Gregorian.