St. SamuelSamuel and his friends Elias, Daniel, Isaias, and Jeremy were Egyptians during the reign of the Roman Emperor Maximus. They were arrested for being Christians when they went to visit Christians sentenced to work in the mines of Cilicia. They were tried before the governor Firmilian and sentenced to be tortured and beheaded. Porphyry, the servant of St. Pamphilus insisted that their bodies be given a reverent burial, but the authorities sentenced him to be burnt to death for his faith. When Seleucus a witness of the execution, expressed his admiration for Porphyry’s courage, he too was arrested and ordered beheaded. The feast of Samuel and the other martyrs associated with him is February 16. |