Today the Church honors The Holy Martyrs Andrew and John, and John’s children Peter and Antoninus.
Orate pro nobis.
Andrew and John, and John’s children Peter and Antoninus, suffered in the ninth century AD in the time of the cruel Muslim North African ruler Ibrahim II. The siege of Syracuse from AD 877 to 878, which was part of the larger campaign to conquer Christian Sicily beginning in AD 802, led to the fall of the city of Syracuse, the Byzantine Empire’s capital of Sicily, to the Aghlabids, a Muslim dynasty that ruled the northern coast of modern Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The siege lasted from August 877 to 21 May 878 when the city, effectively left without assistance by the central Byzantine government, was sacked by the Aghlabid forces.
The Muslims were unable to capitalize upon this success due to internal rivalries, which even led to a full-scale civil war. Small-scale warfare with the Byzantines continued without any side gaining a decisive advantage until the arrival of the deposed Aghlabid emir Ibrahim II, who in 902 rallied the Sicilian Muslims and captured Taormina, effectively completing the Muslim conquest of Sicily, although a few fortresses remained in Byzantine hands until AD 965. The events of the siege are described in some detail by the eyewitness Theodosios the Monk, who included an account of it in a letter written during his subsequent captivity. Most of the population of the city was massacred during the sack; St. Theodosios writes that among the notables alone, over 4,000 were killed.
After the capture and destruction of the Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim captured and brought to Africa many slaves, among whom were Saint Andrew, Saint John, and his two children Peter and Antoninus. That they were singled out by Ibrahim likely indicates that they were nobles. Ibrahim compelled Peter and Antoninus to study the Arab language and sciences, the Qur’an and the Muslim religion, intending that they become Muslims.
When the youths had grown, the emir Ibrahim was so fond of them for their wisdom and virtuous life, that he named Antoninus his kinsman, and he appointed Peter as his chief steward. However, he learned that the youths secretly confessed faith in Christ from other slaves jealous of the preferential treatment being given to them. Ibrahim flew into a furious rage, ordering them to be bound with iron shackles and beaten with knotted rods.
After prolonged scourging, they put Saint Antoninus on a donkey, tied him on with straps, then drove him through the city, beating and ridiculing him with abuse. The martyr endured all the insults and gave thanks to God. Saint Peter was thrown into prison after a fierce beating with the rods. Both sons died in prison from their tortures.
An order was then issued to arrest John, the father of the holy martyrs. The brutal Ibrahim grabbed him by the neck with his left hand, and with his right he thrust a knife into his throat. They cast the dead body of the father, together with the bodies of his sons, into a large fire.
As for Saint Andrew, the torturer wore him down with hunger, and then ran him through with a spear in the chest. When the martyr prayerfully began to give thanks to God, Ibrahim ran him through a second time. As he lay dying from loss of blood, they beheaded the righteous martyr with a sword.
They were martyred on this day in AD 900, and are honored by the Churches of the East and West.
Almighty God, who gave to your servants Andrew and John, and John’s children Peter and Antoninus 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.
