Speusippus, Eleusippus and Melapsippus

Holy Martyrs Speusippus, Eleusippus and Melapsippus (also called Meleusippus) were three triplet brothers from Cappadocia, put to death for Christ in the time of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, around 175. The Serbian source places them in Gaul (present-⁠day France). With them Leonilla was killed. The Serbian Church celebrates them on 16 January by the old calendar, which is 29 January by the new. Our sources also give the date 17 January.

Their story relates that at first only Leonilla was a Christian, while her grandsons were pagans. After long counsel from the devout Leonilla and from the local priest, the three brothers were baptized. Then, with all the fire of youth, they began to defend their faith and went about smashing the idols throughout the region. Accused and brought to trial, they admitted the deed and publicly confessed their faith in Christ. The judge threw them into prison and summoned Leonilla, sending her to advise her grandsons also to renounce Christ and to bow to the idols. Leonilla went silently to the prison, but instead of advising them to abandon the true faith, she encouraged them not to waver but to endure to the end in all tortures and to die for Christ. When the judge questioned them again and saw their faith still more unshaken, he condemned them to death. All three were first hung from a tree, where they hung like strings on a gusle, then scourged and finally burned alive. A woman, Jovila, inspired by the courage of the martyrs, cried out that she too was a Christian. She was seized at once and, together with the aged Leonilla, beheaded with the sword.

The sources differ on the relationships: Leonilla is called now the eldest sister of the three, now their grandmother, and the Roman Martyrology names her as grandmother, with Junilla as their mother. The author of their Acts is said to have been Saint Neo, himself a martyr. In 490, according to tradition, their relics were moved to the cathedral of Saint Mammes at Langres. A church at Langres that also holds relics bears the name Saints-⁠Geosmes, the holy twins. Most of the relics were later taken to Swabia, to the church of Saint Vitus at Ellwangen. The diocese of Langres honours them, with Neo, Leonilla and Junilla, as martyrs of the persecution of Marcus Aurelius.