January 11, 2024 - Toba 2, 1740

Martyrdom of St.Callinacus, Bishop of Oseem

Also on this day, St. Callinacus, bishop of Oseem, was martyred. When Emperor Diocletian heard the report that St. Callinacus was teaching the people to get away from the worship of idols, he sent envoys to seize him and torture him. When the saint heard about the envoys of the Emperor, he called the people of his diocese to the City of Oseem. He celebrated the Divine Liturgy and after he administered the Body and the Blood of Christ to them, he told them, You will not see my face again. The people wept bitterly, but they could not prevent him from delivering himself to the Emperor's envoys. They took him and delivered him to Arianus, Governor of Ansena (Antinoe). He tortured him, with different kinds of tortures, but the Lord healed him and strengthened him. The Governor took him to the city of Edku, and there he tortured him again. When the Governor became weary of torturing the Saint, ordered that the Saint's arm be split down to his hand.Subsequently, he took him in a ship to the city of Tukh. When the saint felt, while he was on the ship, that the time of his departure from the world had drawn near, he commanded one of the sailors who was a believer, If I die, when we arrive ashore, cast out my body on a hill. When St. Callinacus departed, the sailor did as he was commanded. Some believers, through a command of God, came and took the body of the saint and shrouded it for burial and hid it in their homes until the end of the era of persecution.May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen