Lives of Saints

On this day, the honorable St. Philotheus, whose name means “lover of God”, was martyred. He was born in the City of Antioch, of pagan parents, who worshipped a bull.
As for St. Philotheus, because of his young age, he did not know the Living God, and he thought that the sun was the god. He stood once looking at the sun and said, “I beseech you, O sun, if you are God, tell me.” He heard a voice coming from heaven saying, “I am not God, but I am a servant and a slave to God, Whom you will know, and you will shed your blood for His Name’s sake.”
When God saw the integrity of the child’s heart, He sent His angel to inform him about the creation of the world, and the incarnation of the Lord Christ, for the salvation of mankind. St. Philotheus was pleased, and From that time on, he fasted, prayed and gave alms to the poor and those who were in distress.
One day, his parents asked St. Philotheus to worship the bull. The child stood in front of the bull and said, “Are you the God that should be worshipped?” A voice came out of the bull saying, “I am not the God, but the devil has possessed me and I have become a deceiver of men.” Then the bull jumped and attacked his parents and killed them instantly. St. Philotheus ordered his servants to kill the bull, burn its body and scatter its ashes.
St. Philotheus prayed to God for the sake of his parents, and the Lord raised them up from the dead. Later on, he was baptized along with his parents in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God granted him the gift of healing the sick,
When his repute reached Diocletian, the emperor. He brought him, and ordered him to offer incense to the idols, but he refused. The Emperor tortured him with all kinds of tortures, but the Saint never swayed from his determination.
So The Emperor was exasperated, and ordered them all beheaded, and they received the crown of martyrdom. St. Philotheus was also beheaded, and he received the crown of life.
His prayers be with us. Amen