Martyr 4th century

Martyrs Philemon Apollonios, Arrian, and Theonas of Alexandria

died c. 305

Also known as Philemon · Apollonius · Arrian · Theonas

Christians connected with a persecution under Diocletian in Egypt, whose witness included conversion, trial, and martyrdom.

Feast Day

December 14

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Commemorated as

The Holy Martyrs Philemon, Apollonios, Arrian, and Theonas of Alexandria

Life

Philemon, Apollonios, Arrian, and Theonas are a company of martyrs of Roman Egypt commemorated together in the Orthodox Church on December 14. The synaxarion places their witness in the Thebaid, traditionally at the city of Antinoe, during the persecution under the emperor Diocletian, around the end of the third and beginning of the fourth century. Their account is bound together by an unusual conversion narrative in which a pagan musician became a confessor of Christ and the magistrate who condemned him was himself drawn to the faith.

According to the tradition, Apollonios was a Reader who, when a group of Christians was arrested, feared the torments and paid Philemon, a pagan flute-player, four gold coins and gave him his own clothing so that Philemon might offer sacrifice to the idols in his place. When Philemon came before the altar in disguise, the synaxarion relates that his heart was illumined by divine grace; rather than sacrifice, he made the Sign of the Cross and openly confessed Christ.

Philemon's brother Theonas was brought before the magistrate Arrian, governor of the Thebaid, and recognized and identified his disguised brother. Philemon refused to deny Christ and was put to death together with Apollonios. The tradition further relates that Arrian, struck and blinded during the persecution, was healed when he applied earth from Philemon's grave to his eyes; convinced by the miracle, he and his attendant guards confessed Christ and were themselves martyred. The whole company is numbered together among the martyrs of Egypt.

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The Conversion of Philemon

The defining episode of the account is the exchange between Apollonios and Philemon. The synaxarion presents Apollonios as a Church Reader who, dreading the tortures threatened against confessors, arranged for Philemon to take his place at the pagan altar by donning his clothing and posing as him. The tradition draws a deliberate symbolism from the disguise: in taking on the Reader's garments, Philemon is described as having been clothed at the same moment in the faith of Christ.

Brought forward to play music or to sacrifice, Philemon instead confessed Christ and, by the account, derided the pagan gods. When it was objected that a Christian must be baptized, the synaxarion relates that rain fell upon him, which astonished the onlookers, so that his confession was sealed as if by baptism.

Arrian and the Healing of the Eye

Arrian (also given as Arrianos or Arianus) was the governor of the Thebaid who conducted the persecution. By the tradition, during the execution an arrow shot toward Philemon struck the governor in the eye and blinded him. Philemon foretold that earth taken from his grave would restore the governor's sight; after Philemon and Apollonios were put to death, the prophecy was fulfilled, and the healing led Arrian and the guards who attended him to believe in Christ.

The accounts relate that the converted governor and his companions were in turn condemned for confessing the faith and were martyred. Their inclusion in the same commemoration reflects the synaxarion's pattern of joining persecutor-turned-confessor to those he had once condemned.

Place, Date, and Commemoration

The events are set in Egypt, in the Thebaid, with the tradition naming the city of Antinoe; the company is titled "of Alexandria" in the Orthodox commemoration, and relics are said by tradition to have been carried to Alexandria. The martyrdoms are dated to the reign of Diocletian, conventionally around 305. While some historical and Western notices record differing March dates for the individual martyrs, the Orthodox Church commemorates the company together on December 14.

Notes

Named group kept as one row.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints