Holy Apostle Aristovoulos, Bishop of Britain and
holy martyrs Agapios, Plesios, Romylus,
Timolaos, Alexander, Alexander, Dionysios and Dionysios

 

On this day we celebrate the memory of holy apostle Aristovoulos, Bishop of Britain, brother of Barnabas the apostle. St. Aristovoulos was one of the seventy apostles. He followed holy apostle Paul, serving him and preaching Christ's Gospel at various places. He was consecrated bishop of Britain by him. This island was at that time inhabited by savage and brutal people who sometimes beat him and sometimes dragged him around the marketplace. Many people were convinced to believe in Christ, when they saw the afflictions and torments which the saint suffered. Blessed Aristovoulos rested in peace, after he had built churches and ordained deacons and priests.

On this day we celebrate also the memory of holy martyrs Agapios, Plesios, Romylus, Timolaos, Alexander, Alexander, Dionysios and Dionysios. These saints lived during the reign of emperor Diocletian in 297. Agapios came from Gaza, a city of Palestine, Timolaos was from the Black Sea, the two Dionysios came from Tripolis, which lies in Phoenicia, Romylus was a sub-deacon at Diospolis-in-Palestine (which was formerly called Lydda and now is commonly called St. George) and Plesios and the two Alexander came from Egypt.