Visa (Beza)

Holy Martyr Visa (Beza) was a soldier in Alexandria and suffered at the beginning of the reign of Decius (249-251) because he tried to defend the saints Julian and Cronion from the abuse of the crowd.

In the years of Decius's cruel persecution, the old man Julian, ill with gout, could neither stand nor walk. He was brought to trial by his servants: one denied the faith at once, and the other, Cronion (Eunus), confessed faith in Christ together with Julian. The two were carried on camels through Alexandria, scourged without pause, and then burned on a high pyre before the eyes of the people. The anger of the pagans was so great that the soldier Visa, who had sought to defend Cronion and Julian from the fury of the crowd, was seized and led to the place of execution, where he was beheaded. In those years the Libyan Macarius was burned alive, whom the judge could not persuade to renounce, and in the same way Epimachus and Alexander suffered, after long imprisonment and torments. The virgin Ammonaria was cruelly tortured because she had announced that she would not utter the words the judge demanded, and was put to death, and with them suffered thirteen more martyrs.

Saint Visa is commemorated on 12 November, in the new style.