Commemoration of Priest St. Lukianos, Sts. Martyrs Taragros, Probos and Andronikos, and Vonesimos, the Disciple of the Apostle St. Paul

Priest St. Lukianos (Lucian) has lived in the last decades of the third century and the first decades of the fourth century. After his parents’ death Lukianos presents all their property to the poor and dedicates himself to the study of the Holy Scriptures. It is supposed that St. Lukianos has edited the presently used New Testament. The saint founds a theological school in Antioch. St. Lukianos is imprisoned during the period of Christians’ persecutions by the King Maximinos Dazh and is exiled to Nikomedia, where remaining for nine years, he is beheaded in 312 AD.

Martyrs Taragros (Trachus), Probos (Probus) and Andronikos (Andronicus) were soldiers and close friends. During the period of Christians’ persecutions by the King Dioklethianos they are imprisoned for believing in Christ and are subjected to torments in the towns Tarson and Anabarza (Anavarz). They are beheaded in the town Anabarza (Cilicia) in 304 AD.

Vonesimos (Onesimus) was a runaway (fugitive) slave, who is caught in Rome and put into the prison. There he is acquainted with the Apostle St. Paul, who baptizes him. The Apostle St. Paul gives Vonesimos a letter, by means of which he is forgiven and receives freedom from his former master. Vonesimos follows the Apostle St. Paul everywhere, and after his death preaches in Spain, Grace and Asia Minor. In his old age he is ordained as the Bishop of Ephesus, and during the period of Christians’ persecutions by Trayanos he is imprisoned, stoned and beheaded.