Today the Church remembers St. Eleutherius, Martyr.
Ora pro nobis.
The Holy Martyr Eleutherius served as the cubicularius (chamberlain) at the court of the emperor Maximian (284-305 AD), who was one of the co-emperors with Diocletian, infamous for his persecution of Christians. The Diocletianic or Great Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In 303 AD, the co-emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding that they comply with traditional Roman religious practices. Later edicts targeted the clergy and demanded universal sacrifice, ordering all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods. The persecution varied in intensity across the empire—weakest in Gaul and Britain, where Constantius, the father of Constantine the Great, ruled, where only the first edict was applied, and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecutory laws were nullified by different emperors (Galerius with the Edict of Serdica in 311 AD) at different times, but Constantine and Licinius' Edict of Milan in 313 AD has traditionally marked the end of the persecution.
Due to his age, Eleutherius was allowed to retire from imperial service. At some point, Eleutherius converted to Christianity, and after retiring on a country estate, he built a church at his home. One of the servants reported to the emperor that Eleutherius had become a Christian. The emperor recalled Eleutherius to answer to the charges of being a Christian, and ordered the saint to offer sacrifice to pagan gods. Eleutherius refused, stating that he was a Christian. The emperor, who had long known him but had no mercy for him, seeing his resolution as he refused to sacrifice to idols, condemned him to death, and for this he was beheaded, c. 304 AD.
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Eleutherius boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
