Gaius, Faustus, Eusebius and Chaeremon

The Holy Martyrs Gaius, Faustus, Eusebius and Chaeremon lived in the second half of the third century and were disciples of Saint Dionysius of Alexandria. Faustus, Eusebius and Chaeremon, by the testimony of their teacher himself, were deacons. Gaius is counted with them as a disciple of Dionysius. The Orthodox Church commemorates them on 4 October, by the old calendar.

The church historian Eusebius adds that the deacon Eusebius was later bishop of the Church of Laodicea in Asia Minor, and that Faustus, a venerable old man, died a martyr in his lifetime, beheaded. The saints were persecuted and met a martyr's end together with their teacher.

After the exile of Saint Dionysius, Eusebius and Chaeremon, by the help of God, visited those held in prisons, buried the bodies of the martyrs, and lived until the reign of the emperor Decius (249-251). For their confession of faith in Christ they endured cruel torments but remained unshaken. Many pagans were brought by them to Christianity, some secretly, others openly. Then they were seized and cut down with swords.

It should be said that the sources do not agree entirely. The historian Eusebius speaks of Faustus as having died a martyr by beheading, and of Eusebius as bishop of Laodicea, whereas the account above places the end of these two in the time of Decius. A Serbian source gives 17 October as the date by the old calendar.