In 315 AD, Emperor Licinius issued an edict against Christians. At that time, more than forty believers, including Daniel, Maurice, Anthony, and Leontius, chose to present themselves voluntarily before the court and openly confess their faith. The governor, astonished by their courage and boldness, began to interrogate them. However, they steadfastly declared that their Lord and God was Jesus Christ.
Filled with rage, he ordered them to be tortured. The saints endured every suffering, encouraging and supporting one another. While in prison, they prayed and chanted hymns together, awaiting their martyrdom.
When the governor finally pronounced the sentence of death, the saints accepted their fate with joy. They prayed, asking God to strengthen their faith. At that moment, two of the guards, seeing a radiant light and hearing the voice of an angel, also came to believe in Christ. They joined the martyrs and suffered together with them.
The tortures ordered by the governor were horrific. In the end, the holy martyrs were cast into the fire and completed their earthly lives on July 10, in Nicopolis of Armenia.
When Constantine the Great became the sole ruler of the empire, the Church regained its freedom. The holy martyrs were glorified, and their sacred relics became a source of healing.
