Carpus of Pergamon

Holy Hieromartyr Carpus was a bishop and martyr of Pergamon, venerated by the Orthodox Church and by other Churches. The details of his life, even the years of his birth and death, are not known and differ from source to source, as do the particulars of his episcopate. He is presumed to have been born at Pergamon in Asia Minor (today Bergama in Turkey).

According to the Latin sources, Carpus was bishop of the city of Gordos in Lydia and received martyrdom around 165, in the time of Marcus Aurelius (161 to 180) and his co-⁠ruler Lucius Verus. According to the Greek sources, he was bishop at Thyatira and suffered around 251, in the time of Decius (249 to 251), who at the end of his life began a persecution of Christians, and he is said to have died at Pergamon. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 13 April; our calendar data instead gives 13 and 26 October, days which the sources tie to the Armenian Church (13 October by the Julian calendar and 26 by the Gregorian). Catholics commemorate him on 2 January and 4 April, and Evangelicals on 10 January.

The Latin and Greek sources describe his death in a similar way. Because he refused to worship the emperor and the pagan gods and defended the Christian faith, Carpus and the deacon Papylus were tied by the feet to horses and dragged through the streets of the city. Some sources, to reconcile the data, say that they were first tortured in Lydia and then, when they could not be brought to idolatry, at Pergamon.

Since even after this they would not renounce Christianity, they were taken to the pyre, onto which Agathonice, Papylus' sister, also climbed of her own will, wishing to die for Christ as well. At that moment, according to the account, a heavy rain miraculously fell and put out the flames, and the judges decided to put them to death by the sword. So it was done. Before Carpus' death, before his eyes, his servant Agathodorus, who had likewise chosen of his own will to die for the faith, was beaten to death with a whip.

On icons Carpus is usually depicted surrounded by Papylus, Agathonice and Agathodorus, dressed in red vestments and holding the Gospel before him.