Memelchtha of Persia

Holy Martyr Memelchtha of Persia was a priestess of the goddess Artemis before she became a Christian, and she was stoned to death for her faith in the year 344.

According to tradition, an angel of God appeared to her in a dream and showed her the mysteries of the Christians. Frightened, she told the dream to her sister, who was a Christian, and who brought her to the bishop. She received Baptism, and her sister stood as her godmother. The pagans, seeing her in the white baptismal robe, rushed at her in anger, killed her with stones and threw her into a deep pit, from which the Christians could hardly draw her out.

The bishop went to the king of the Persians and obtained permission to pull down the temple of Artemis and build a church in its place, in which the venerable relics of the holy martyr were laid.

She is commemorated on 5 October.