Mauricius and the Seventy Martyrs

Holy Martyrs Mauricius, his son Photinus, and the seventy soldiers martyred at Apamea.

The holy martyr Mauricius was an officer at Apamea in Syria who, with seventy soldiers under him, confessed Christ before the emperor Maximian. His son Photinus was beheaded before his eyes; tradition relates that Mauricius and the others were then smeared with honey and left bound in a marsh, where they died of the stings of insects.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Mauricius and the Seventy Martyrs is commemorated on December 27. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on January 9 of the civil calendar.

Also commemorated on December 27

• 

  Stephen the First Martyr

  Martyr, Στέφανος Πρωτομάρτυς

  Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen.

  Name days: Stefanos, Stefanis, Stephanos, Stefan, Stephen, Steve, Stefania, Stephania, Stephanie, Stefanie

• Theodore Graptus

  Venerable, Θεόδωρος ο Γραπτός

  Venerable Theodore the Branded, Confessor of the holy icons.

• Theodore of Constantinople

  Hierarch, Θεόδωρος Α' Κωνσταντινουπόλεως

  Theodore I, Archbishop of Constantinople.

• Luke of Triglia

  Venerable, Λουκάς ο Τριγλινός

  Venerable Luke of Triglia in Bithynia.