Heliodorus of Magydus

Holy Martyr Heliodorus of Magydus lived in Pamphylia, in Asia Minor, in the time of the emperor Aurelian (270 to 276). In the city of Magydus, which was ruled by Aetius, a devout man named Heliodorus preached Christ without fear. For this he was seized and brought before the governor, accused of spreading a persecuted teaching.

At the trial Aetius urged him at length to renounce Christ and sacrifice to the idols, but the saint confessed boldly that Christ is God. The governor ordered him hanged and torn with iron claws. In the midst of the torment the saint cried out in a loud voice: "Lord Jesus Christ, help me." A voice came from heaven: "Do not fear. I am with you." The executioners also heard the voice, and they saw four angels at the same time. Those who had tortured him believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and began to rebuke the governor, who in anger ordered them thrown into the sea. Then he ordered a bronze ox heated red and the saint cast into it. At his prayer the ox cooled at once, and the saint sang a song of thanksgiving to God. Amazed, the governor went up to the ox and saw that it had cooled. He said to him: "Wicked man, your sorcery has overcome even fire." The saint answered: "It is not sorcery that did this, but the help of Christ." Then he asked for three days' respite to think what to do.

Set free, the saint went secretly into the pagan temple and prayed there. At his prayer there was an earthquake, and the idols fell and were shattered. Learning of it, the governor ordered him brought to trial again and, full of rage, ordered him hanged and nails heated red-⁠hot driven into his head. In the terrible pain the saint called on God for help, and his torments were eased at once. Then the governor put heavy iron chains on him and sent him to the governor of a neighbouring city, who spoke with him for a long time to force him to sacrifice. Seeing his steadfastness, that governor ordered his hands and feet put into four splits of a piece of timber and then thrown into a heated cauldron. From the cauldron the saint prayed and urged those present to come in to him, saying that it would do them no harm. Many of those there believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and said: "Truly great is the God of the Christians."

The governor, seeing that many had believed in Heliodorus's God, and fearing that they might hide the holy martyr, ordered him taken back to Magydus. The soldiers took him and set out with him. Arriving at Magydus, they brought him to trial again. After a new examination the governor ordered him hanged, his body scraped and then his head cut off. As the saint was being dragged outside the city, he made a sign with his hand to those leading him to stop, and when they did as he asked, he said a prayer and then was beheaded, around the year 273.

Holy Martyr Heliodorus is commemorated on 2 December, in the new style.