Leontius of Nicopolis

Holy Martyr Leontius of Nicopolis (Armenia) was the leader of the forty-⁠five martyrs of Nicopolis, Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Anthony, Alexander, Ianicetus (Anicetus), Sisinnius, Meneus, Viriladus and others, who suffered in the Armenian city of Nicopolis in the time of the emperor Licinius (307-324), co-⁠emperor with Constantine the Great. Licinius cruelly persecuted Christians and in his eastern region issued an order that all who would not return to paganism be tormented and killed.

When the persecution began in Nicopolis, more than forty followers of Christ resolved to come forward of their own will before the persecutors, openly confess faith in the Son of God and accept the torments. At their head stood Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Anthony and Alexander, known for their virtuous lives. The governor of Armenia, Lysias, before whom the holy confessors stood, was surprised at the unity and courage of men who were condemning themselves to torment and death. He tried to persuade them to renounce Christ and sacrifice to the pagan gods, but the saints stood unmoved and refuted all his arguments, showing the falsity of faith in the foul, vice-⁠ridden pagan gods, who lead to perdition those who worship them. The governor commanded the confessors to be struck in the face with stones, then put in chains and thrown into prison.

In prison the saints rejoiced and sang the psalms of David. Saint Leontius encouraged and strengthened the brethren, preparing them for new torments for the true faith and telling them of the courage of all who had suffered before for Christ. In the morning, after a fresh refusal to sacrifice to idols, the saints were again given over to torture. Saint Leontius, seeing the martyrs' pains and fearing that some of them, exhausted, might lose heart and lose their faith, prayed to God to send all of them a speedy end of the struggle. At midnight, when the holy martyrs were singing psalms, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to them, and the prison was lit with light. The angel announced to the martyrs that their struggle was nearing its end, and their names were already written in heaven. Two prison guards, Meneus and Viriladus, who saw what happened, believed in Christ. The next day the governor resolved to put the witnesses of Christ to death. After cruel tortures they were burned in fire and their bones thrown into the river († around 318). Devout people found them, gathered them and kept them. Later, when freedom was given to the Church of Christ, a church was raised in that place in honour of the forty-⁠five holy martyrs.

Saint Leontius is commemorated on 23 July, in the new style. Their passion is also found in the Lives of the Saints by Saint Dimitry of Rostov.