Bishop
During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, the holy hieromartyr Eleutherius was born in Rome to noble parents. His mother, Anthia, was baptized by the holy Apostle Paul and raised her son in piety. Eleutherius was dedicated to God and became the bishop of Illyricum, where he preached the word of God and converted many to Christ.
Emperor Hadrian, driven by hatred for Christians, sent the commander Felix to bring Eleutherius to trial. Felix, upon hearing the saint's preaching, himself converted to Christ and became his disciple. Eleutherius, devoted to sufferings for his faith, boldly appeared before the emperor, rejecting his idols and calling for repentance.
The emperor, unable to break the saint, subjected him to cruel tortures: the martyr was placed on a copper bed with hot coals, but remained unharmed. Then he was tortured on an iron grate and in a pan of boiling wax, yet he continued to praise God, remaining unharmed.
Finally, the saint was thrown into a furnace, but even there he remained alive. His courage led to the conversion of many, including the eparch Corivus, who also accepted martyrdom. In rage, Hadrian ordered Eleutherius to be beheaded, and seeing his mother Anthia joyfully accept death for her son, she was also killed.
The holy bodies of the martyrs were buried with honor, and their memory is venerated in the Church. The relics of Saint Eleutherius are in Rome, and his life is an example of faithfulness to Christ and courage in suffering.
