The 33 Martyrs of Melitene

The 33 Martyrs of Melitene were Christians who suffered in the persecution of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, around the year 290 (the source first says "early third century", but the year 290 is near the end of it). The Orthodox Church honours them as saints, with commemoration on 7 November. The hymns of the day are the apolytikion in the fourth tone and the kontakion in the fourth tone, sung at vespers and other services.

The Roman emperors sent large military detachments, led by Lysias, to Cappadocia to stop the spread of Christianity. The persecution was also an opportunity to recruit soldiers for the imperial army. Among the martyrs was Saint Hieron, a Christian from Tyana in Cappadocia. He was a strong husbandman who refused to join the imperial army, although Roman soldiers tried to persuade him. Hieron resisted and used his bodily strength to drive the soldiers away with a wooden tool, and they fled in fear.

Hieron was born at Tyana, in Cappadocia. His mother, Stratonike, was devout and blind. Hieron took care of his mother and was ardent for Christianity from youth. The Roman army tried to recruit him, but he refused, fearing that the army would force him to renounce his faith and sacrifice to idols. Hieron repeatedly rejected the recruiters. To avoid capture, he hid in a cave with eighteen other Christians. During this time he had a vision foretelling his martyrdom.

Hieron was arrested together with other martyrs and taken to Melitene. In prison Hieron and the others were tortured. All remained steadfast in the faith, except Hieron's kinsman, Victor, who renounced Christianity after enduring torture. Hieron was subjected to severe torture: his hand was cut off, and he was flogged and beaten. Throughout their suffering the martyrs chanted Psalm 118, verse 1. At last Hieron was beheaded together with the other martyrs.

After his death a man named Chrysanthus bought Hieron's head, buried it and later built a church in his honour. Hieron's severed hand was taken to his blind mother, who was later declared a saint and martyr. His relics were found and enshrined in the church of Hagia Eirene in the reign of the emperor Justinian.

The other thirty-⁠two martyrs are named in alphabetical order: Amonitus, Anicetus, Athanasius, Barachius, Callimachus, Callinicus, Castrichius, Claudian, Diodotus, Dorotheus, Ducitius, Epiphanius, Eugene, Eutychius, Gigantius, Hesychius, Hilarion, Longinus, Mamas, Maximian, Nicander, Nikon, Ostrychius, Theodochus, Theodotus, Theodoulus, Theodore, Theogenes, Theophilius, Themelius, Valerius, Xanthius.