Saint Diomedes
Date of celebration: 16/08
Saint Diomedes was born in Tarsus in Cilicia and studied medicine. His scientific knowledge did not make him proud, but he maintained the piety in which his parents had brought him up. And as the Lord, the Healer of the bodies and souls of men, “preached to them about the kingdom of God, and those in need were healed by healing” (Luke, i. 11), that is, he spoke to them about the kingdom of God and he healed those in need of healing, so Diomedes, imitating his Lord and his God, practiced his medical profession unselfishly and philanthropically.
At the same time, however, with the healing of the bodies, Diomedes fervently preached to the sick the saving truth of the Gospel and helped many souls to be led to Christ the Savior. Divine zeal brought Diomedes as far as Nicaea in Bithynia.
Everywhere he healed the sick, and he taught and cultivated the faith. But when Diocletian’s persecution of Christians began, Diomedes’ divine activity was reported to the emperor. Then he ordered Diomedes to be arrested. But before he was arrested, God called him to Himself and the sent soldiers found him dead. And yet, they decapitated him dead like that!
