Porphyrius of Caesarea in Palestine

Holy Martyr Porphyrius of Caesarea in Palestine was a young servant of the priest Pamphilus, killed at the stake in the persecution of Diocletian in the years 308-309. He is commemorated in the group of the twelve martyrs of Caesarea, headed by Pamphilus.

The priest Pamphilus, born in Berytus (Beirut) and educated in Alexandria, laboured much at comparing and correcting the texts of the New Testament, corrupted by copyists; he copied them and sent them to those who wished for them, and so brought many pagans to Christ. Through his care a great library of spiritual books was gathered at Caesarea. Blessed Jerome greatly honoured him. The deacon Valens, an old man with a good knowledge of Scripture, and Paul, burning with love for Christ, helped him. The three spent two years in prison, by order of the governor Urban. Under his successor, Firmilian, one hundred and thirty Christians from Egypt were condemned to the gold mines of Cilicia; five young brothers accompanied them to the place of exile and, on the way back, were seized at Caesarea and thrown into prison. Brought before Firmilian, they gave the names of the prophets Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel and Daniel and, asked about their homeland, answered that they were citizens of Jerusalem, meaning the heavenly Jerusalem. Firmilian, who knew no such city, tormented them long and, finding no answer, gave them to the sword together with Pamphilus, Valens and Paul.

Earlier there had suffered Porphyrius, a young man of eighteen, servant of Pamphilus, gentle and humble. Hearing the sentence pronounced on the martyrs, he asked the governor's leave to bury them after the execution. For this he was put to death and burned at the stake. A witness of this martyrdom, Seleucus, a former soldier, came up to Pamphilus before the execution and told him of the end of Porphyrius; he was seized on the spot by the soldiers and put to the sword with the condemned. A servant of the governor, the old Theodulus, a secret Christian, kissed the martyrs as they were led to death and asked them to pray for him; he was crucified. The young Julian, a Cappadocian, saw the bodies of the saints left unburied, bowed before them and kissed them; the soldiers took him to the governor, who condemned him to burning. For four days the bodies of the twelve martyrs lay unburied, untouched by beasts and birds. Disturbed, the pagans allowed the Christians to take them and bury them.

St Porphyrius is commemorated on 1 March (a movable date), in the new style.