Callista of Caesarea

Holy Martyr Callista of Caesarea in Cappadocia suffered in the time of the Emperor Diocletian, in the year 288 or 300, together with the Holy Martyr Dorothea, her sister Christina and the Holy Martyr Theophilus. The Church commemorates them on 19 February (new style).

Saint Dorothea lived in Caesarea of Cappadocia. She was a devout Christian virgin, known for her great gentleness, humility, purity and the wisdom given her by God, which astonished many. Seized by order of the governor Sapricius, she firmly confessed her faith in Christ and was subjected to torment. Unable to break her will, the governor handed her over to two sisters, Christina and Callista, who had earlier been Christians but out of fear of torment had renounced Christ and led a sinful life. He ordered them to persuade Dorothea to sacrifice to the pagan gods. But the opposite happened: the women, convinced by Saint Dorothea that by God's mercy salvation is granted to all who repent, repented and turned again to Christ. For this they were bound back to back and burned in a barrel of pitch. The holy sisters Christina and Callista died in torment, offering the Lord a prayer of repentance and atoning for the sin of apostasy.

Saint Dorothea was again subjected to tortures, which she endured with great joy, and with the same joy she received the death sentence. As the saint was being led to execution, a learned man (a scholastic), Theophilus, said to her in mockery: "Bride of Christ, send me from the garden of your Bridegroom roses and apples." The martyr answered him with a nod. Before her death the saint asked for time to pray. When she finished her prayer, an angel appeared to her in the form of a handsome youth, who gave her on a clean cloth three apples and three roses. The saint asked him to take them to Theophilus, after which her head was cut off with the sword. Receiving the gifts, the former persecutor of Christians was amazed, believed in the Saviour and declared himself a Christian. Subjected for this to harsh tortures, Saint Theophilus received the crown of martyrdom by beheading with the sword. The relics of Saint Dorothea are in Rome, in the church that bears her name, and her head, also in Rome, in the church of the Mother of God in Trastevere.