Phoibammon

Holy Martyr Phoibammon of Preht (in Coptic Apa Phoibammon) was a Christian soldier, a sentry stationed at the camp of Preht in the Thebaid, in the time of the prefect Clodius Culcianus, under the emperor Diocletian (303-307/308). He defied the edict requiring homage to the pagan gods, and for this reason was executed at Siowt (Asyut) on 26 May. He had been born at Touho, of a Greek mother, Sarah; his father is not known. At the time of his martyrdom he was about thirty years old and had been a Christian for four years.

His martyrdom is described in an intact manuscript of the martyrology, with related fragments and an Arabic version, which includes accounts of his miracles after death, recorded by Colluthus. With him five other soldier-⁠martyrs were imprisoned and executed at Asyut: Ischyrion, Orsenuphis of Sne, Belphius, Origen and Peter of Souan. Ischyrion has churches dedicated to him in present-⁠day Egypt. Phoibammon of Preht is sometimes confused with another martyr of the same name, from Wushem, who died near Tkow; the two have separate accounts. In Thebes two monasteries were dedicated to a martyr named Phoibammon, and a church in Abnub bears his name. He is venerated in the Coptic Church.