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Agathopodes
(Agathopus), deacon and martyr, with reader Theodulus, killed by drowning in Thessalonica for refusing to give up the sacred books, in 303.
Defying the Emperor Maximian and the governor Faustinus, they confessed the Christian faith. For this reason stones were tied to their necks, and they were cast into the sea.
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Rufinus
Deacon and martyr, with Aquilina and 200 soldiers, beheaded at Sinope on the Black Sea (now Sinop in Turkey) during the reign of the emperor Maximian (305-311), c. 310.
When Rufinus was put into prison for confessing Christianity, Aquilina showed concern. Therefore, she also was placed under guard. In prison they converted 200 soldiers to Christ by their miracles, and all of them were beheaded by the sword.
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Elfgete
Deacon and martyr, with abbot Theodore of Croyland and 77 other monks, put to death by invading Danes at Croyland in England, on 8 April 870.
On 8 April 870 Danes attacked the famous Benedictine abbey at Croyland (now Crowland in Lincolnshire, East Anglia). They killed abbot Theodore and all the other monks who were there. We know the names of some of the monks: Askega (prior), Swethin (subprior), Elfgete (deacon), Sabinus (subdeacon), Grimkell, Agamund (centenarians), Herbert (chanter), Egred, Ulric (servers), and Egelred. By the evening of the next day only Egelred remained. He had been away and would have to wait until September to receive his crown of martyrdom. The morning had started as usual. The abbot was to preside at mass and was vested and at the altar when the Danes broke into the abbey. A few minutes later the killing was done, the looting commenced, and the Danes moved on. Behind them they left Theodore with a slash through the right side of his skull, the other monks also dead.
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Gajan
Deacon and martyr in Dacia (modern Romania), early 4th c. Gajan died almost certainly during the persecution under Emperor Diocletian (284-305).
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Papylus
Deacon and martyr, with his sister Agathonice and bishop Carpus, killed at Pergamum in Asia Minor (now Bergama in western Turkey) in 170.
The account of their martyrdom at the hands of the proconsul Optimus, during a persecution by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, has survived. Carpus: “The gods are unfeeling; deprive them of your veneration and they will be defiled by dogs and crows. I have never before sacrificed to images which have no feeling or understanding.” Papylus: “I have many children, in virtue of the faith of the Christians, spiritual children in every province and city. I feel no pain because I have someone to comfort me; one whom you do not see suffers within me.” Agathonice: “If I am worthy I desire to follow the footsteps of my teachers. My children have God, who watches over them.” They were sentenced to be tortured with clawing instruments and then burned alive.
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Peter
Deacon and martyr, with his servant Hermogenes, killed probably at Antioch, date of death unknown.
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Timon
One of the seven ordained by the apostles (Acts 6:5), died 1st c. [also July 28].
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Proculus, Sossius, and Faustus
Deacons and martyrs, with their bishop Januarius of Beneventum and others, beheaded at Puteolum (Campegna in central Italy) c. 305.
The group of Christians suffered martyrdom about the year 305 during the persecution ordered by the emperor Diocletian (284-305). The Roman authorities arrested bishop Januarius and led him to trial before Menignus, governor of Campegna. Because of his firm confession of Christianity, they threw Januarius into a red-hot furnace, but he came out unharmed. Then at Menignus’ command, they stretched him out on a bench and beat him with iron rods until his bones were exposed.
In the crowd were deacon Faustus and reader Desiderius, who wept at the sight of their bishop’s suffering. The pagans suspected that they were Christians and threw them into prison with Januarius in the city of Puteolum. At this prison were two deacons jailed for confessing Christ, Sossius and Proculus, and two laymen, Eutychius and Acution. On the following morning the captors led out all the imprisoned Christians into the circus to be torn to pieces by wild beasts, but the beasts would not touch them. Menignus claimed that all the miracles were due to sorcery on the part of the Christians, and immediately he became blinded and cried out for help. Bishop Januarius prayed for healing, and Menignus recovered his sight. He accused the Christians of sorcery and ordered the martyrs beheaded before the walls of the city. Christians from surrounding cities took up the bodies of the holy martyrs for burial, and those of each city took one, in order to have an intercessor before God. Many miracles have been connected with the relics of Januarius, taken to Neapolis (Naples).
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Luke and Mucius
Deacons and martyrs, with three presbyters, beheaded near Babylon, in 250.
They were killed during the Roman invasion of Mesopotamia by Emperor Trajanus Decius. The three presbyters were Parmenius, Chrysoteins, and Helimenas. The ruins of Babylon are 55 miles south of Baghdad in Iraq. Abdiesus (or Hebedjesus) and Azadanes (or Azadames), deacons and martyrs, with seven companions, part of a vast multitude martyred in Persia, in 342.
Abdiesus, also called Hebedjesus, and Azadanes, also called Azadames
They were deacons in the Christian community of Persia who were caught up in the persecutions conducted by King Shapur II. Records indicate that they were accompanied in their martyrdom by Abrosimus, Acepsimus, Azades, Bicor, Mareas, Milles, and a woman named Tarbula. Some were Persian courtiers, others priests and bishops. Tarbula was the sister of Simeon and suffered a particularly cruel death by sawing.
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Philo and Agathopodes (or Agathopus)
Deacons, who accompanied Ignatius of Antioch to his martyrdom in Rome, died in 150. These two deacons assisted Ignatius of Antioch and, after his martyrdom in Rome, brought back to Antioch those relics they could recover from Roman authorities. They are believed to have written the acta recounting the life and death of Ignatius.
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James
Deacon and martyr, with reader Marianus and others, beheaded at Lambesa, an ancient town in Numidia (now Algeria), in 259.
James was a deacon in the same church as Marianus, and he was imprisoned with him at Cirta (modern Constantine in Algeria) in the persecutions of Valerian. He was tortured over several days to force him from his faith. During this torment he had a dream which showed him final triumph. He was martyred with Marianus, Agapius, Secindinus, and hundreds of others. His story was recorded by a fellow prisoner who was not martyred.
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