Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius

Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius were martyrs of Alexandria, put to death in the year 250 in the persecution of the emperor Decius. Faustus was a priest, Abibus a deacon and Dionysius a reader. Several others died with them, and the Church commemorates them all on 6 September.

The sources give a list of those who were brought before the governor of the city, Valerius. With Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius are named: Calodota, the wife of Cyrus, who was with child, Macarius, a man of state, Andrew, a barber, Cyriacus, an acolyte of Faustus, another Andrew, a soldier, the virgins Andropelagia and Thecla, who were sisters, another Cyriacus, a man of the people, Theoctistus, a ship owner, and Sarapamon, a member of the city council. The list in the English source is a little different: the soldier is called Andronicus there, and Andrew appears only once. In all there are thirteen names. One source calls Abibus a deacon, another a monk and deacon.

They were tortured before the governor and then beheaded. From early times the Church has numbered them among the holy martyrs. The Roman Martyrology names only Faustus and Macarius, with ten companions.

Their commemoration is on 6 September, and on 19 January they are also remembered on the day of the Synaxis of the saints of the land of Egypt.