Pistus of Edessa

Holy Martyr Pistus of Edessa, the youngest of the three sons of the Holy Martyr Bassa, suffered together with his mother and his brothers Theognius and Agapius in Edessa of Macedonia, at the beginning of the fourth century, in the time of the emperor Maximian.

The emperor had issued a decree requiring all his subjects to sacrifice to the pagan gods on his birthday. Many Christians obeyed out of fear, but those strong in the faith resisted, among them Bassa and her sons. Bassa was of senatorial rank and had received the faith from her parents, in which she raised her children as well. Her husband, Valerian, a notable citizen, had become a pagan priest and was the first to offer sacrifice to the idols. Bassa then drew her sons aside and told them that it was not fitting to follow their father, but to hasten to Christ and despise what passes away, so as to receive eternal goods from the Lord.

Theognius, Agapius and Pistus obeyed and refused to sacrifice to the idols. Valerian then denounced his wife and children to the governor. Before their mother's eyes they were tortured: Theognius, the eldest, was hung up and scraped with iron claws; the skin of Agapius was stripped from his head to his chest, and he made no sound; then came the turn of Pistus, the youngest. Their mother encouraged them without ceasing to endure suffering for Christ. The three young men were beheaded.

Bassa was thrown into prison. She remained unharmed by fire, water and beasts, and an angel fed her with heavenly food after seven days. In the pagan temple she shattered the statue of Zeus; she was cast into the depths of the sea, but a ship lifted her up, with three men of light, in whom St Nicodemus the Hagiorite saw her sons. After eight days she presented herself to the governor of the island of Alon, near Cyzicus in the Sea of Marmara. He tempted her with gifts and then tortured her; asked why she did not fear death, she answered that she hastened to be free of death and inherit eternal life. After she was beaten with rods, her head was cut off. A church was later built in her honour on a height, visible to sailors, who regarded her as their protector. It is known that around the year 450 a church dedicated to St Bassa already existed at Chalcedon.

The commemoration of the mother and her sons Theognius, Agapius and Pistus is kept on 3 September, in the new style.