Eustace the Great Martyr

Great Martyr Eustathios Placidas.

St. Eustathios, called Placidas before his baptism, was a Roman general of the second century. According to tradition he was converted while hunting, beholding a vision of the Cross between the antlers of a stag; he was baptized with his wife Theopiste and their two sons, endured the loss of all his possessions and family, and after years of trial was reunited with them.

When he refused to offer pagan sacrifice after a military victory, he and his family were martyred together. He is commemorated on September 20.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Eustace the Great Martyr is commemorated on September 20. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on October 3 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Efstathios, Efstathis, Stathis, Eustace, Eustathius, Efstathia, Stathoula, Theopisti, Theopiste

Also commemorated on September 20

• Hilarion the New Martyr of Crete

  Martyr, Ιλαρίων ο Κρης

  New Martyr Hilarion of Crete, monk of the Skete of St. Anne on Mount Athos.

• Hypatios and Andrew the Confessors

  Hierarch, Υπάτιος και Ανδρέας

  Hieromartyrs Hypatios the bishop and Andrew the presbyter, confessors of the holy icons.

• Maximos the Confessor and his Disciples

  Venerable, Μάξιμος ο Ομολογητής

  Commemoration of St. Maximos the Confessor, St. Martin of Rome, and the disciples Anastasios and Theodore.

• Meletios of Cyprus

  Hierarch, Μελέτιος Κύπρου

  St. Meletios, bishop in Cyprus.

• John the Stranger of Crete

  Venerable, Ιωάννης ο Ξένος

  Venerable John the Stranger, ascetic and founder of monasteries in Crete.

• Eustathios of Thessaloniki

  Hierarch, Ευστάθιος Θεσσαλονίκης

  St. Eustathios Kataphloros, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, scholar and shepherd.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.