ON THE HOLY MARTYRS THEOPHILUS AND HELLADIUS.
CommentaryTheophilus, Deacon, African Martyr (St.) Helladius, African Martyr (St.)
Concerning these, the Roman Martyrology says on January 8: "In Libya, the holy martyrs Theophilus the Deacon and Helladius, who were first torn apart and pierced with very sharp potsherds, then at last thrown into the fire and gave up their souls to God." The Greek Menologion has nearly the same, adding that they suffered under a proconsul. Their homeland and torments. The Menaia give a somewhat fuller account: "On the same day, the holy martyrs Theophilus the deacon and Eladius the layman suffered. They were Libyans. Seized for the confession of Christ and brought before the proconsul, since they persevered in the faith, they were savagely beaten. Then their hands and feet were bound, and their backs were burned with iron and fire; then they were pierced with sharp potsherds. And as more and more torments were heaped upon them, they gave up their souls to God." Galesinius: "In Greece, the blessed martyrs Theophilus the deacon and Helladius. These, born in Libya, worshippers of the Christian faith, since they were attacking the worship of idols everywhere, were by order of the proconsul savagely beaten with rods, then torn apart with iron claws, then half-burned on their backs, then pierced with the points of potsherds, and never relaxed anything of their constancy. And so at last, dragged about in a horrible manner, with all the bones of their body broken, they gave up their souls to God."