Marcellina

Saint Marcellina was the mother of the Holy Martyr Astion and the wife of Alexander. With her husband she received Holy Baptism from Bishop Evangelus of Tomis, who soon suffered himself by beheading. The Azbyka page says nothing else of her; her story is in the life of Epictetus and Astion.

The Venerable Martyrs Epictetus, a presbyter, and Astion, a monk, lived in the time of Diocletian in one of the eastern provinces of the Empire. Epictetus had devoted his life to God from youth, had received the gift of working miracles, and by his prayers many healings were wrought of those tormented by unclean spirits and by various diseases. Once, walking, the young pagan noble Astion, son of the city governor, came by him. In a long conversation Epictetus enlightened him, sowed the Word of God in his soul, telling him of the true God, of the worth of the immortal soul and of the nothingness of earthly pleasures. Believing in Christ and baptized, the young man begged his teacher to go with him to a far country, to devote his whole life to God. Boarding a ship, they came to the land of the Scythians. At the mouth of the Danube they settled near the city of Halmyris, among the pagan Slavs, and spent their lives in fasting and prayer.

The God-⁠pleasing life of the hermits could not long remain unknown. People came to them with various diseases and possessed ones, and received healings through their prayers. The pagans also began to ask them for help and, relieved of their sufferings, turned to Christ. Then the head of the region, Latronianus, arrived in the city of Halmyris, and the pagan priests said that the saints drew people to their faith by sorcery. They were seized and questioned. After thirty days in prison without food or water, they stood again before the judge Latronianus, ready to accept bravely new sufferings for Christ. They were sentenced to be beheaded with the sword (around 290).

They are commemorated on 20 July, in the new style. The name of Marcellina is not in today's Menologion of the Russian Church.