Saints Peter, Dionysius, Andrew, Paul, Christina, Heraclius, Paulinus and Benedict the Martyrs
Date of celebration: 18/05
All these Saints were martyred during the years of the emperor Decius (249-251 AD). Peter was from Lampsacus, and when he was brought before the ruler to sacrifice to Aphrodite, he defiantly confessed Christ.
Then, they crushed his whole body with chains and sticks, and thus he surrendered his spirit to God. Paul and Andreas were from Mesopotamia, soldiers of Decius. When they went to Athens, they became soldiers of Christ, and together with Dionysius and Christina, they were all stoned together. Herakleios, Paulinos and Benedimos were from Athens.
There, they fought hard against the error of the idols and the philosophers who were fighting the Christian religion. So, after they caught them and tortured them, they finally beheaded them.
