Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates Priest St. Lukianos, Martyrs Taragros, Probos, and Andronikos, and Disciple of Apostle St. Paul, Vonesimos

Today, on December 28, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates Priest St. Lukianos, St. Martyrs Taragros, Probos and Andronikos, and Vonesimos, the Disciple of the Apostle St. Paul.

Priest St. Lukianos (Lucian) had lived in the last decades of the third century and the first decades of the fourth century. After his parents’ death, Lukianos presented all their property to the poor and dedicated himself to the study of the Holy Scriptures. It is assumed that St. Lukianos edited the presently used New Testament. The saint founded a theological school in Antioch. St. Lukianos was imprisoned during the period of Christians’ persecutions by King Maximinos Dazh and was exiled to Nikomedia, where nine years later, he was beheaded in 312 AD.

Martyrs Taragros (Trachus), Probos (Probus) and Andronikos (Andronicus) were soldiers and close friends. During the period of Christians’ persecutions by King Dioklethianos, they were imprisoned for believing in Christ and subjected to torments in the towns of Tarson and Anabarza (Anavarz). They were beheaded in the town of Anabarza (Cilicia) in 304 AD.

Vonesimos (Onesimus) was a runaway (fugitive) slave who was caught in Rome and put into prison. There he got acquainted with the Apostle St. Paul, who baptized him. The Apostle St. Paul gave Vonesimos a letter, by means of which he was forgiven and received freedom from his former master. Vonesimos followed the Apostle St. Paul everywhere, and after his death, he preached in Spain, Greece and Asia Minor. Later, he was ordained as the Bishop of Ephesus, and during the period of Christians’ persecutions by Trayanos, he was imprisoned and beheaded.