Turvon of Langonia

Holy Martyr Turvon of Langonia is remembered together with Speusippus, Eleusippus and Meleusippus, their grandmother Leonilla, Neon and Jovilla. All suffered in Gaul (according to another account, in Cappadocia) in the second century, in the persecution of Marcus Aurelius (161-180). Leonilla received Baptism in advanced age from one of the disciples of Saint Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, and then brought her three grandsons to Christ. The brothers, kindled with zeal for the Lord, smashed the idols and rebuked the pagans for their folly.

The tormentors brought Leonilla to the place of execution and ordered her to persuade her grandsons to renounce Christ, but she, going up to them, praised them for their courage and steadfast confession of faith. The martyrs were thrown into the fire, but the fire did them no harm. After the torments and death of her grandsons, Leonilla was cut down with the sword. With her suffered Jovilla, who had seen the unshaken faith of the martyrs, declared herself a Christian, leaving her husband and small son. The tormentors hung her by the hair, wounded her body and beheaded her. Neon saw the struggle of the brothers, wrote down their sufferings and gave the manuscript to Turvon, and he openly confessed his faith, was cruelly beaten and died of the blows. Turvon, following the example of the sufferers, also ended his life as a martyr.

These martyrs are especially venerated in Spain, where many churches are dedicated to them. Their relics were sent by the Greek emperor Zeno to France, to the city of Langres. Saint Turvon is commemorated on 29 January, in the new style.