Faustus of Galatia

Holy Martyr Faustus of Galatia suffered together with the Holy Martyr Meletius the General, with Stephen, John, Serapion the Egyptian, Callinicus the magician and Theodore, and with one thousand two hundred and eighteen soldiers with their wives and children. In the time of the Emperor Antoninus Elagabalus (218 to 222), Meletius was commander of the Galatian region. He was a Christian and prayed earnestly that God would put an end to pagan error. The demons that dwelt in the idol temples entered dogs, which with their howling struck terror into the inhabitants. Meletius, with his soldiers, destroyed the maddened dogs, tore down the temples, and was seized and brought to trial before the governor Maximian. Because he refused to sacrifice to idols, he was tortured and died while never ceasing to confess Christ. The tribunes of his regiment, Stephen and John, were beheaded for confessing Christ as the true God.

The other soldiers of the regiment, who also declared themselves Christians, were put to the sword with their wives and children; one thousand two hundred and eighteen people died in torments, according to some sources eleven thousand, around 218. The holy martyrs Theodore and Faustus, with many others, were burned. Of the women and children who suffered, the names are known of the holy martyrs Marciana, Susanna, Palladia, and of the infants Cyriacus and Christian. The names of some of the soldiers, the twelve tribunes, are also known: Faustus, Fistus, Marcellus, Theodore, Meletius, Sergius, Marcellinus, Felix, Photinus, Theodoriscus, Mercurius and Didymus.

Serapion was born in Egypt. He came to Galatia and witnessed the struggle of Meletius and his company. Seeing the courage with which those who believed in Christ died for Him, Serapion himself believed and was imprisoned. In prison an angel of God came to him and consecrated him bishop. Faustus is commemorated on 6 June (new style). The story of the martyrdom of Serapion, Callinicus, Theodore and Faustus was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.