Ecdicius of Sebaste

Holy Martyr Ecdicius of Sebaste, also called Ecdites, is one of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, Christian soldiers from Cappadocia who froze for Christ on the lake near the city of Sebaste in Armenia, around the year 320, in the time of the Emperor Licinius.

Licinius, ruler of a part of the empire, persecuted Christians in his lands although Constantine the Great had granted freedom of faith. The commander Agricolaus demanded that the forty soldiers sacrifice to the pagan gods, and they refused and were led naked onto the frozen lake on the winter night. On the shore a warm bath had been prepared for whoever would renounce. One of them gave way, but the guard Aglaius, seeing crowns of light over the martyrs, took his place and confessed himself a Christian.

The next day the soldiers were brought out of the water, their shins were broken and their bodies burned, and the bones were thrown into the river. The forty martyrs then appeared in a dream to Bishop Peter, who buried their remains with honour.

Their names have been preserved, and Ecdicius is among them. The commemoration of the Forty Martyrs is on 9 March, a day on which the Lenten fast is relaxed and the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated.