Epictetus and Astion

The Holy Martyrs Epictetus and Astion were a priest and a monk, killed about the year 290 at Halmyris (today Murighiol), in Dobruja, in the time of the persecution of the emperor Diocletian. Their relics were found in the year 2001. The Orthodox Church commemorates them in July: according to the Serbian source on 7 (20) July, and the Romanian Orthodox Church on 8 July.

Epictetus dedicated himself to God from youth. He was a priest and received the gift of wonderworking, healing many by his prayers. Astion was the son of the local mayor. One day he came to visit the priest Epictetus. In their long conversation Saint Epictetus convinced Astion of the truth of the Gospel. Believing in Jesus Christ and receiving Holy Baptism, Astion asked the priest Epictetus to go with him to a far country, to dedicate his life wholly to God. Boarding a ship, Saints Epictetus and Astion went to the land of Scythia. At the mouth of the Danube they settled near the city of Halmyris, among the Slavs, and there lived in labours of fasting and prayer.

At that time the governor of the region, Latronianus, arrived in the city of Halmyris, and the pagan priests reported of Saints Epictetus and Astion that they were drawing a great number of people to their faith. The saints were arrested and questioned. After three days of imprisonment without food or water, the holy martyrs Epictetus and Astion again came before the judge Latronianus, ready to accept new suffering for Christ with courage. They were condemned to be beheaded by the sword, in the year 290. The parents of Saint Astion, Alexander and Marcellina, received holy baptism from the bishop of the city of Tomis, Evangelicus, who himself suffered soon afterward.