Leontius of Nicaea

Holy Hieromartyr Leontius of Nicaea, also called Leo, a bishop, was one of the holy hieromartyrs Manuel, George, Peter, Leontius (Leo), bishops, Sionius, Gabriel, John, Leontius and Parodos, presbyters, who suffered at Adrianople in the time of the Bulgarian king Murtagon. The Azbyka page tells them all after Saint Dimitry of Rostov.

These holy martyrs came from various lands of the Roman Empire and lived at Adrianople in the time of the emperor Leo the Armenian. Then the Bulgarian king Krum laid waste Thrace and Macedonia, reached as far as Constantinople, then took Adrianople after a three-⁠month siege and carried into captivity all the inhabitants who survived the slaughter, up to forty thousand, among them the local bishop, whom the pagan had thrown headlong to the ground and trampled underfoot. Krum died an evil death, his successor Dukum died soon, and over the Bulgarians came Ditzeng, a terrible and inhuman ruler, who ordered Bishop Manuel of Adrianople to be sawn in two, the saint's arms cut off to the shoulders and the remains thrown to the dogs. God's anger struck him with blindness, and soon Ditzeng was killed by his subjects. He was followed by Murtagon, who cruelly persecuted the Christians who would not renounce Christ, keeping them in prison, tormenting them and putting them to death in torment.

The holy bishops George of Develtos and Peter, who were strengthening their flock, the tormentor gave over to terrible beatings and then cut off their heads; the same death was received with them by seven Christians; the Christian commanders John and Leontius were also beheaded. Saint Leontius the eunuch, bishop of Nicaea, was pierced in the belly with the sword by the pagans; Gabriel and Sionius also died by the sword, and the priest Parodos was stoned. Many other Christians were beaten and imprisoned. And not only Murtagon but his successors on the Bulgarian throne cruelly persecuted Christians, who by various torments and painful death won the eternal Kingdom. On the same day the venerable martyr Anastasius, deacon of the Caves, who reposed at the end of the twelfth century, is also commemorated.

Saint Leontius is commemorated on 4 February, in the new style.