Leontius of Scythopolis

Holy Martyr Leontius of Scythopolis (early fourth century) suffered at Scythopolis in Palestine, among sixty other martyrs mentioned in several calendars. Of their own will they stood before the governor of the region and denounced his inhuman nature, then overturned and shattered the altars of the gods. The enraged pagans beat them to death. The bodies of the martyrs were buried by Christians, and later a church was raised at the place of execution.

A short life of the martyrs of Scythopolis is found in manuscript Ath. Laur. I 70, folio 208. They may be the same as the six youths mentioned in the work of Eusebius of Caesarea, who, coming to the proconsul Urban, confessed themselves Christians and were beheaded. In the Synaxarion of the church of Constantinople of the tenth century and in the Typikon of the Great Church of the tenth century, under 4 May, there is a commemoration of the martyrs of Scythopolis and a note that the synaxis in their honour is held in the church of the Mother of God at Chalkoprateia, in the chapel of the holy Apostle James, brother of the Lord. Under 5 May the commemoration of the martyrs is found in the Synaxarion of Peter of the eleventh century and in other synaxaria.

The earliest evidence of the veneration of the martyrs of Scythopolis in Russia is their mention in the menology of the Ostromir Gospel of 1056-1057 (folio 272) and in a Gospel of the twelfth century. In the first half of the twelfth century the prose Prologue was translated in Russia, and in it, under 4 May, their commemoration was included. In the Great Menaion Readings are their commemoration and a verse in honour of the martyrs. Saint Leontius is commemorated on 17 May, in the new style. His name is not in the present calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church.