The Holy Martyr Potitus

Commemorated on July 1

      The Holy Martyr Potitus suffered under the emperor Antoninus (138-161). His father was a pagan, but the youth, at but 13 years of age having become familiar with the Christian teaching, believed in the True God and accepted holy Baptism. Having learned of this, his father was extremely upset and tried at first by endearment, and then also by threats to dissuade his son from faith in Christ the Saviour. His efforts, however, were in vain. Impressed by the firmness of faith in the lad, the father himself likewise came to believe in the Son of God and became a Christian.
      Saint Potitus travelled through many lands preaching about Christ and by the power of God he worked wondrous miracles.
      In a region, called Epirus, there lived the illustrious woman named Kyriakia, wife of a senator, but afflicted with leprosy. Hearing about Saint Potitus, she summoned him and besought healing. The saint declared, that if she believed in Christ, she would be healed. The woman accepted holy Baptism and was immediately healed. Seeing such a miracle, her husband and all the household believed and were likewise baptised.
      After this, the saint settled on Mount Gargara and lived in solitude, amidst the birds and the beasts. He was found there by servants of the emperor Antoninus, whose daughter was afflicted with demonic possession. The devil said through the lips of the maiden, that he would come out of her only with the coming of Potitus. They brought the holy youth to the emperor, and through the prayers of Saint Potitus the sick girl received healing. But in place of gratitude, the emperor treated the saint with inhuman cruelty. For his firm confession of faith in Christ the Saviour and his refusal to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, to which the emperor imputed the healing of his daughter, they tore out the tongue from Saint Potitus and blinded him. After lengthy torture, the saint was then beheaded.