Theodulus of Attalia

Holy Martyr Theodulus of Attalia (of Pamphylia) suffered together with his father, the Holy Martyr Hesperus, his mother, the Holy Martyr Zoe, and his brother, the Holy Martyr Cyriacus, for faith in Christ, in the second century, in the persecution of Hadrian (117 to 138). The spouses, baptized from childhood, had raised their children in deep faith. All were slaves of the noble Roman Catullus, who lived in the city of Attalia in Asia Minor. In serving their earthly master the saints never defiled themselves with food offered to idols, which the pagans were obliged to use.

Once Catullus sent Saint Hesperus on business to Tritonia. Then Saints Cyriacus and Theodulus resolved to flee, not wishing to be in constant contact with pagans. Saint Zoe did not bless this decision of her sons. Then the young men asked their mother's blessing to confess their faith in Christ openly and received it. When the brothers told Catullus that they were Christians, he was astonished but did not hand them over to torture; he sent them, with their mother, to Hesperus at Tritonia, hoping that the parents would persuade their children to renounce. The brothers, stripped, were hung from a tree and torn with iron instruments before the eyes of their parents, who during the tortures urged their children to endure to the end for the faith.

Then the parents too, Saints Hesperus and Zoe, were subjected to cruel tortures. In the end all four martyrs were thrown into a heated furnace, where they gave their souls to the Lord with prayer. Their bodies were preserved unharmed in the fire and angelic singing was heard, glorifying the struggle of the confessors of the Lord. Theodulus is commemorated on 15 May (new style). Their story was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.