Iconographer: Elder Hadji-George Athonitou
Commemorates on : July 8,
The holy Martyr Procopius was born of a pious father named Christopher, but his mother Theodosia was an idolater. After Christophers death, she presented Neanias - for this was the Saints name before - to Diocletian, who was at Antioch in Syria. Diocletian made him Duke of Alexandria, and sent him there to punish the Christians. On the way to Alexandria, our Lord spoke to him, and turned this new persecutor to faith in Him. Neanias turned back to Scythopolis, and preached Christ. He was betrayed by his own mother, and was arrested and tormented in Caesarea of Palestine. While he was in prison, the Lord appeared to him again and gave him the new name of Procopius (which is derived from the Greek word meaning "progress, advancement"). He was brought out of prison and taken to worship the idols, but at his prayer, the idols fell; many then believed in Christ and suffered martyrdom, among them certain soldiers, twelve women of senatorial rank, and the Saints own mother, Theodosia. Saint Procopius, after further torments and imprisonment, was beheaded about he year 290.
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