Saint Basilisk
Date of celebration: 22/05
Saint Basiliskos, nephew of the Saint Great Martyr Theodore of Tiron, came from the village of Humiala in Amasia and was martyred by sword under Maximian (285 – 305 AD) and archon Agrippa. He was captured by the ruler of Cappadocia Asclepiades (or Asclepiodotos) with his soldiers Eutropius and Cleonikos (honored March 3), who, because they refused to sacrifice to idols, were martyred.
Saint Basil was thrown into prison by the pagans in the hope that, through time and privation and suffering, he would deny Christ, so the impact of his act would be great among Christians. But he had made the irrevocable decision to die as a Christian, having as a bright example his Great Martyr uncle, who remained firm in his confession, after rejecting all promises and threats.
One day the Saint succeeded, thanks to the favor of the soldiers who guarded him, to go to his house, to comfort his parents and brothers and to introduce them to the Christian faith.
When the ruler Agrippa was informed of this, he ordered them to put on iron shoes with internal nails and to lead him before him to the Comana. Coming towards the ruler, when they reached the village of the Dacians, the soldiers who accompanied him tied him to a dry plane tree, so that they could have lunch. Then the Basiliskus, through his prayer, succeeded in making the sycamore sprout and from its root a small spring gushed forth. After the soldiers saw this miracle, they marveled and believed in Christ.
When he arrived at Comana, he was brought before Agrippa, who led Basiliscus to the pagan temple, hoping that the official surroundings would induce him to sacrifice to idols. The Basilisk, however, with fervent prayer succeeded in the fall and crushing of the idols. Then Agrippa ordered that he be beheaded and his sacred remains be thrown into the river.
Christians of the Komans recovered the honest tent secretly and reverently buried it. Later, by the most pious lord of the Komans Marino, a temple was rebuilt in honor of the Martyr, in which his holy relics were deposited.
The memory of Saint Basil repeats on March 3rd.
