Martyrdom of St. Euseginus (Eugenius) the Soldier
Saints Hermylos and
Stratonikos
Hermylos and Stratonikos lived during the reign of Emperor Licinius in 314. Hermylos held the office of deacon and Stratonikos was his friend. Eventually, Hermylos was brought before Licinius where he confessed the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was tortured, in the middle of which torments he invited his friend Stratonikos to speak out and confess Christ.
Stratonikos mmediately spoke out saying that he too had the same belief with Hermylos. They were both drowned in the river Istros (i.e. the Danube).
Martyrdom of St. Euseginus (Eugenius) the Soldier
On this day, we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Euseginus. He was a soldier at the time of Emperor Constantine the Great and he had many charitable deeds.
When Emperor Constantine saw the sign of the Cross in the sky, he could not understand its significance, for he was not yet a believer. He asked the soldier Eusegnius, who told him that it was the sign of the Lord Jesus. The Emperor started to contemplate about this sign of the Cross and particularly in the sentence that was written on it, "By this you conquer." At night the Emperor saw the Lord Christ in a dream and the Lord showed him the sign of the Cross and commanded him to make wooden flags for his army similar to it.
The following morning, the Emperor did as he was commanded. He went to war against his enemies and entered Rome victoriously. He then became a Christian and lifted up the horn of the Christians and their faith all over the Roman Empire.
Eusegnius lived until he was 120 years old, until the days of Julian the infidel Emperor (the apostate). One day, when he was walking in one of the streets of Antioch, he found two men fighting together. They stopped him and asked him to judge between them, for he was an honorable old man. He made peace between them.
Some evil men plotted evil against him, by telling Emperor Julian that Euseginus had made himself a judge and a ruler over the city. The Emperor brought him, rebuked him and asked him, "Who has appointed you a judge and a ruler?" St. Euseginus replied with great courage. "I am not a judge nor am I a ruler, but you have forsaken the worship of the God of Heaven, in Whose hands is your soul, and you worshipped unclean idols and you followed in the footsteps of those who came before you. I was a soldier under the righteous Emperor Constantine for sixty years, and with his sons after him, and I did not see anyone as devilish as you".
The emperor was exceedingly infuriated with him, and he commanded that he be crucified and to put torches to his sides. They did all these things to the saint who endured them for the love of his Lord Jesus..
At last, the Emperor commanded that his head he cut off. When he was approached by the swordsman, he asked him to wait until he prayed. When he finished praying, they beheaded him and he was granted the crown of martyrdom.
Glory be to God forever. Amen.