Theophilus of Palestine

Holy Martyr Theophilus of Palestine, called Theophimus in the synaxaria, is remembered in a group of martyrs who suffered in Caesarea of Palestine, in the time of the archon or prefect of Palestine, Urbanus, in the year 307.

The Byzantine synaxaria preserve an account of these martyrs. First named is Domninus, condemned first to labour in the copper mines and then burned. In some versions his name appears separately and is then repeated in the account of the end of the martyrs Theophimus, Timothy and Philotheus, three youths who, as a punishment decided by Urbanus, were made to take part in gladiatorial shows. At the same time the prefect ordered other Christians put to various torments: the aged priest Dorotheus, Carterius and Eupsychius.

The account rests on the report of Eusebius of Caesarea in his work On the Martyrs of Palestine, which tells of the trial of Christians held by Urbanus on 5 November 307 in Caesarea of Palestine, when in a single day he condemned many of them. The saints are commemorated on 18 November, following the Greek calendar, and are not included in the present calendar of the Russian Church.