Domitian, the ruler of Cilicia, captured Saint Zosimus, who lived in the desert and conversed with beasts. Zosimus confessed his faith in Christ and refused to engage in sorcery. He was brutally tortured, yet remained steadfast. The prince ordered him to be hanged upside down and to be scraped with iron claws, but Zosimus continued to profess Christ.
When the prince demanded proof, Zosimus prayed to God, and a lion came to him, supporting a stone on its neck. The prince, seeing this, wanted to free the saint, but Zosimus surrendered his spirit to the Lord. The Christians buried him with honor, glorifying the Holy Trinity.
The sufferings of St. Zosimus date back to the early 4th century during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The memory of St. Zosimus is celebrated on January 4.
