Eutropius of Cilicia

Holy Martyr Eutropius of Cilicia suffered together with the Holy Unmercenary Martyrs Cosmas and Damian of Arabia and their brothers in martyrdom, Leontius and Anthimus, at the end of the third century, in the time of Diocletian and Maximian. Cosmas and Damian, commemorated on 17 October, were contemporaries of the unmercenary saints of Rome. Like them, they practised medical science, but it helped them little. Receiving from God the gift of working miracles, they healed the illnesses of people in the name of Christ the Saviour.

News of their miracles and teaching reached the governor Lysias, who ordered them seized. Brought to Cilicia, they were presented to the governor, who commanded them to sacrifice to idols. When they refused and boldly confessed Christ, they were beaten without mercy and then thrown bound into the sea. The Lord saved them from drowning, and an angel loosed them and brought them safe to shore. The miracle was ascribed to sorcery. The governor asked how they had escaped, and they answered that they knew no spell, only the power of Christ. Angered, the governor shut them in prison, and the next day ordered them thrown into the fire. The fire lost its power and did not touch them. Then he hung them up and made them the target of stones and archers, but the stones and arrows bounced off their bodies as from walls and struck the executioners. In the end the governor ordered their heads cut off. With them suffered three Christians: Leontius, Anthimus and Eutropius. The five were buried together.

Eutropius is commemorated on 30 October (new style). The time of their martyrdom is not known for certain, but it is thought to have been at the end of the third century. Their story was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.