Eleusippus of Langres

Holy Martyr Eleusippus of Langres was one of the three twin brothers, Speusippus, Eleusippus and Meleusippus, who suffered in the second century, in the time of the persecution of Marcus Aurelius (161-180), together with their grandmother Leonilla and with Neon, Turbo and Jovilla. According to one tradition they suffered in Gaul, according to another in Cappadocia.

Leonilla received baptism in deep old age from a disciple of Saint Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, and then brought her three grandsons to Christ. The brothers, inflamed with zeal for the Lord, smashed the idols and rebuked the pagans for their folly. The tormentors brought Leonilla to the place of execution and told her to persuade her grandsons to renounce Christ, but she, going up to them, praised them for their courage and their confession. Then the martyrs were thrown into the fire, but the fire did not harm them. After the torments and death of her grandsons, Saint Leonilla was beheaded.

With her suffered Saint Jovilla, who, seeing the unshaken faith of the martyrs, confessed herself a Christian, leaving her husband and little son. The tormentors hung her by the hair, wounded her body and beheaded her. Saint Neon, seeing the struggle of the brothers, wrote down their sufferings and gave the manuscript to Turbo, then openly confessed Christ and was cruelly beaten, dying from the blows.

Saint Turbo, following the example of the martyrs, also ended his life as a martyr. These martyrs are especially honoured in Spain, where many churches are dedicated to them. Their relics were given by the Greek emperor Zeno to France, to the city of Langres.

The Synaxarion commemorates them on 29 January (new style).