Theophilus of Amorium

Holy Martyr Theophilus of Amorium was one of the forty-⁠two Christian soldiers, defenders of Amorium in Galatia, who were taken captive and died for Christ on the banks of the Euphrates, in the time of the war between the Greek emperor Theophilus (829-842) and the Saracens.

The Saracens managed to besiege Amorium, and the city fell through the betrayal of the commander Vadites. The forty-⁠two defenders were taken prisoner and carried off to Syria. Through seven years of wearing imprisonment the captives were urged in vain to renounce the Christian faith and accept Islam. They firmly rejected every flattering offer and bravely bore the terrible threats. After many tortures, having been unable to break their spirit, they were condemned to death.

Even just before the execution an attempt was still made to shake their constancy. They told the soldier Theodore that they knew him as one who had left the priestly rank, taken up arms and shed blood, so that he could no longer hope in Christ and must acknowledge Mohammed. The martyr answered that he had not denied Christ, and that for having abandoned the holy order he ought to shed his blood.

The condemned went calmly and fearlessly to the executioners. They were beheaded with the sword and their bodies thrown into the river Euphrates. In the service the holy sufferers are praised: Theodore, the all-⁠blessed, Callistus, the invincible, Constantine, the valiant, Theophilus, the wonderful, and Basoes, the strongest. With them are remembered Aetius, Melissenus and the rest.

The traitor Vadites did not escape a shameful end: the enemy knew that a traitor cannot be trusted, and they put him to death. The martyrs of Amorium are commemorated on 19 March.