Theotychus of Antinoe

Holy Martyr Theotychus of Antinoe suffered for the faith in Egypt, in the city of Antinoe, in the time of the emperor Diocletian (284-305), together with the holy martyrs Philemon, Apollonius and Arian.

Arian, before his conversion to the faith of Christ, had been a persecutor of Christians, among them the martyrs Apollonius and Philemon. First the martyr Apollonius, fearing the sufferings that awaited him, asked the pagan musician Philemon to put on his clothes and sacrifice to the idols in his place. But Saint Philemon unexpectedly declared himself a Christian before the pagans. Saint Apollonius repented and confessed Christ also. After tortures both martyrs were put to death. Their tormentor Arian healed a wounded eye with dust taken from the tomb of Philemon, repented, turned to the Christian faith and was baptized with his whole house and his bodyguards. Out of love for Christ they went willingly to torments and were put to death. Among the bodyguards the eldest was the martyr Theotychus, remembered with the other saints.

The martyrs Philemon and Apollonius died on 16 March 286, and the martyrs Arian and Theotychus on 4 March 287. The saints are commemorated on 27 December.