♱Daily Synaxarium ♱Saturday, August 22, 2026translated

On this day, the Holy Church commemorates:

*Martyrs Agathonicus and his companions. *Saint Anthosa of Seleucia and her two servants. *Saint Bishop Athanasius of Tarsus. *Saint Virgin Avellalia of Barcelona. *The French martyr Symphorianos. *The righteous Saint Isaac Optina of Russia. *The new Russian martyrs Macarius, Bishop of Orel and those with him. *The new Russian martyrs Theodoros Smirnov, Bishop of Panza, and those with him. *Saint Alexy of Eugene. *The martyr, Qianus Al-Baalbaki.

✤ Martyrs Agathonicus and his companions ✤

When the persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor Maximian raged, Count Avtolomeus was sent to subjugate the Christians. He moved from Nicomedia, the eastern capital of the empire, to Pontus and shed Christian blood wherever he went. However, contrary to what he had hoped, people of good will, whether soldiers or even thieves, were impressed by the boldness of the true disciples of Christ, so they converted to Him and declared their faith in Him. Many people left their cities for the countryside to live in small groups in harmony with the provisions of the Gospel. Avtolemius destroyed many of them with the sword and threatened those of the elite by chaining them and bringing them before the emperor. From New Caesarea, he reached a small city, Carpi in Bithynia. There Zoticus, one of the Christian notables, was handed over to him. The Count asked him why he taught his citizens to despise sacrifices to the gods...