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Commemorated on June 15
The Holy Martyr
Doulos was a pious christian from the city of Praetoriada. At the height of
a persecution against Christians under Maximian (305-313) they arrested him and
sent him to trial under the Cilicia district governor Maximus. Before the
beginning of the trial the saint firmly besought the Lord to grant him the
power of words for a denunciation of idol-worship.
At the interrogations
the holy martyr bravely confessed Christ and forcefully denounced the false
religion of the pagans and their gods with their shameful human vices and
passions. The governor tried to confute his faith in Christ, but he was not
able to resist against the grace-given words of Saint Doulos. The governor flew
into a rage, tortured him without pity and after interrogation dispatched him
back into prison. At each new interrogation the saint appeared strong in spirit
and body, prepared for new torture. At the final interrogation for Saint
Doulos, they broke his lower jaw, they broke his knees, and they bound him to
the chariot of the governor and dragged him about. In this manner of suffering
the holy martyr died, having signed himself with the sign of the cross.
They untied his body
from the chariot and threw it into the river. The river current carried the
remains of the holy Martyr Doulos to his native city right up to shore. Dogs of
shepherds discovered the holy body. One of them sat and guarded the body of the
holy martyr from birds, and another brought in its teeth a shepherd's robe and
covered up the body of the saint. The shepherds led christians to the body of
the holy Martyr Doulos, who then made the burial.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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