Eutychian of Illyria

Holy Martyr Eutychian of Illyria is commemorated in the account of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer from Bonds, Saint Chrysogonus, Saint Theodotia, Saint Euodius and others. Eutychian was persecuted for the Christian faith and was among those condemned to death by drowning together with Anastasia. He is commemorated on 4 January (new style), and our page dates his death to around 304.

Anastasia, born in Rome to the senator Praetextatus, received the teaching of Saint Chrysogonus, kept her virginity in a pagan marriage and served the Christians in the prisons, which is why she was called the Deliverer from Bonds. After Theodotia and her three sons had been put to death for Christ in their native city of Nicaea, Anastasia was arrested and brought to Diocletian. The high priest Ulpian wished to dishonour her and was struck blind, and soon died. Anastasia was imprisoned again and tormented by hunger for sixty days, but suffered no harm.

Then the governor of Illyria ordered her drowned together with some convicts, among them Eutychian. The soldiers put them on a ship, sailed out to sea and holed it so that it would sink, but the prisoners saw Theodotia steering the ship towards the shore. A hundred and twenty people, astonished at the miracle, believed in Christ, and Anastasia and Eutychian baptized them. Learning of it, the governor ordered all the newly baptized put to death, and Anastasia was stretched over a fire between four posts. Her body remained untouched, and the Christian woman Apollinaria buried it and, when the persecution ended, built a church over the tomb.