It is the celebration of the oldest holy martyrs known as the territory of Dobrogea, Epictetus and Astion, the Orthodox Church commemorates on 8 July. Description of life and their passion was kept in the Acts of the Martyrs with large details.
They are known as saints Halmyris, the ancient Christian city located on the banks of the Danube that was called in ancient times “Almyra”. They suffered a martyr’s death during fierce persecution against the Christian church triggered by Emperor Diocletian (244-311) on 8 July 290. Surely they are the martyrs old Dobrogea certified undoubtedly springs hagiographic.
Life and their passion have given in the Acts of the Martyrs, but unfortunately, their holy martyr act we were kept only in a later century copy. XV, located in the Church of the Saviour in Utrecht and was published in 1615 by Jesuit scholar Herbert Rosweyde († 1629).
In 1921, Benedictine Dom Germain Morin discovered in remembrance of martyrology ieronimian St. Epictetus and Astion on May 23 in “The S.S. Epicteto presbytero et Astion monachu martyribus Almiridensibus in Scythia “, confirming the veracity of statements he Acta Sanctorum, edited by N. Rosweyde, mentioned above.
Acta Sanctorum took passages from a study of its impact on the two saints and martyrs renowned researcher and historian Netzhammer Raymund (1862-1945), Catholic archbishop arrived in Bucharest and left posterity work Epiktet und Astion, diokletianische Martyrer I Danaudelta, Zug. 1937.
Likewise, Byzantinist prof. Dr. Emilian Popescu realized a document on the life and work-study their work and Romanian Saints defenders of ancestral law (Bucharest 1987).

Miracles from the Danube

Of said documents know that the Emperor Diocletian lived in parts of the east, probably in Phrygia (Asia Minor), a priest named Epictetus, having a clean life and godliness. For this God exalted with the gift of miracles, healing more patients – a young paralyzed to fully healed, a young man possessed by an evil spirit has been cleansed by the power of prayer, a blind woman who regained vision by Epictetus priest’s prayers.
One day, he meets Astion Epictetus – a young handsome man with a pure life, from a wealthy family and chosen.
Following discussions, Astion is about teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and happiness eternal, which it marks the particular way and urges him then to ask the priest Epictetus take him as an apprentice and to enlighten the soul by receiving Holy Baptism.
After receiving Baptism, they have both decided to leave these lands and withdraw in a favorable place where they can live in holiness and where he could preach the Christian faith to others.
They boarded a boat and came into the city Halmyris (Dunavăţul today), on the Danube, where they continued to live in purity and piety, and committing many miracles here. Epictetus is said that the priest healed a deaf-mute and paralyzed after the miracle, converted to the Christian faith more than 1,000 inhabitants of the city.
And the young man gained Astion gift of miracles, healing a possessed and making healthy a man who fell from a height and left almost dead.
Defendants commander before being Latronianus, the saints were brought before judges, interrogated, imprisoned and subjected to tortures. Although trials come upon them, they remained steadfast in the faith, even converted to Christianity and one of the judges, named Vigilantius.
Finally, the Saints were sentenced to death by cutting heads, their bodies were taken by Christians in secret, and they buried him in a good place. Acts of martyrs and say that there are “many miracles until today.” Epictetus was martyred priest cult spread to Spain, where honest with Latinized name of Epitacius in on May 23, the day that these two saints are celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church.
After the victory of Christianity in 313, the bodies of St. Epictetus and Astion were buried in the crypt of the basilica Episcopal Halmyris, where they remained throughout the times for 1,700 years until their discovery – miraculously – 15 August 2001. relics were taken then identified, studied and placed in shrines and submitted to the Archdiocesan Cathedral of Constanta, where every year on July 7th – the day before the celebration of saints were brought and Cathedral “Annunciation “Tulcea, and the next day were taken to Halmyris, which hosted the celebration of saints.

The earliest mention of the existence of monasticism in Dobrogea

For us, the Romanians, the act of martyrdom of St. Epictetus and Astion has special value because, alongside the St. Emilian the Durostor (Silistra), is the only one hagiographic literature fritters can be proud.
Then he brings light into the history of religious life Dobrogea, showing the spread of the Christian faith on the territory between the Danube and the sea, and e-worst persecutions of those times subject Christians from pagan Roman authorities.
He remembers the name of the bishop of Tomis, happy Evangelicus beatissimus Evangelicus who coordinate religious life here, where there were other bishoprics, including Halmyris.
This act martyr follows that Epictetus was a priest and monk was Astion, making it the earliest mention of the existence of monasticism in the territory of Dobrogea.
By the example of their lives and the strength of faith by sustaining the dead martyr, St. Epictetus and Astion are honored as martyrs of the Church of Christ, one, holy, catholic and apostolic, as examples of embodied Christians since then, but for those today in the service of Christ, the Church and others.
By the miracles they committed the sick, the miracles you commit today to those who run the venerable their relics at the monastery Halmyris they are included in the category of saints without silver, the size Saints Pantelimon, Ermolaos Cyrus and John , Cosmas and Damian and others.
To honor therefore to fit the two athletes of Christ and humble heart to ask your prayer request, saying to them, the Holy Martyrs Epictetus and Astion, receive now offering up our love, praise and thanksgiving to the merciful and the gift of the one cure all diseases healed our soul and body, our souls are healed those oppressed by passions and pain – as with you to sing praises to God in the kingdom of Christ endless! Amen.