Leo and Paregorius

The Holy Martyrs Leo and Paregorius suffered at Patara in Lycia, in Asia Minor, around the year 260, probably in the time of the emperors Valerian and Gallienus. Paregorius shed his blood for the faith at Patara, and Leo, a witness of his struggle, felt his heart divided between joy at his friend's victory and sorrow at not sharing in it.

The proconsul of Asia was away waiting on the emperors, and the governor of Lycia, who lived at Patara, published on the festival of Serapis an order that all must sacrifice to that god. Leo, seeing the pagans out of superstition, and some Christians out of fear, crowding to the idol, sighed within himself and went to pray to God at the tomb of Saint Paregorius, passing on the way before the temple of Serapis. The pagans recognised him as a Christian by his modesty. He had been trained from childhood in the austerity and devotion of the ascetic life, possessed in an eminent degree chastity, temperance and the other virtues, and wore clothes of coarse camel's-⁠hair cloth.

Soon, back home, his mind full of his friend's glorious end, he fell asleep, and from a dream he understood on waking that God was calling him to the same conflict as Paregorius, which filled him with inexpressible joy and comfort. The next time he went to the martyr's tomb, instead of going by byways, he went boldly through the market-⁠place, confessing Christ. He was martyred; Leo and Paregorius are commemorated on 18 February (new style).