Epimachus of Pelusium
Encyclopedia
Saint Epimachus of Pelusium was an Egypt
ian martyr
.
Epimachus was born in Pelusium
, and worked as a weaver along with his two companions: Theodore and Callinicos. At age 27, he heard that Youlamis the governor of Egypt
was torturing the Christians. He subsequently went to El-Bakroug, (near Demera) and came before the governor, confessing his Christianity
. Youlamis the governor tortured him severely, then ordered him to be squeezed on the wheel. A drop of his blood splashed on the eyes of a blind maiden, and she was able to see instantenously. The maiden and her family converted to Christianity
and were martyred by Youlamis. Furious, the governor ordered Epimachus to be crucified and his head to be cut off. The executioner drew his sword but his strength failed. The same thing happened with another executioner, and so with fourteen others. When they failed to cut off his head, they tied a rope around his neck and dragged him until he died.
A deaf and mute soldier touched the body, and he instantly heard and spoke. Some of the Christians from the city of Edku took the body and several signs and wonders took place from it. His kinsfolk from Demera carried the body to El-Barmoun with great honor. The governor of El-Barmoun shrouded the body with expensive shrouds and built a church after Saint Epimachus, where the body was placed.
The feast of Saint Epimachus of Pelusium falls on 14 Pashons
in the Coptic Orthodox Church, and on 14 October in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.
Epimachus was born in Pelusium
Pelusium
Pelusium was a city in the eastern extremes of Egypt's Nile Delta, 30 km to the southeast of the modern Port Said. Alternative names include Sena and Per-Amun , Pelousion , Sin , Seyân , and Tell el-Farama...
, and worked as a weaver along with his two companions: Theodore and Callinicos. At age 27, he heard that Youlamis the governor of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
was torturing the Christians. He subsequently went to El-Bakroug, (near Demera) and came before the governor, confessing his Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Youlamis the governor tortured him severely, then ordered him to be squeezed on the wheel. A drop of his blood splashed on the eyes of a blind maiden, and she was able to see instantenously. The maiden and her family converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and were martyred by Youlamis. Furious, the governor ordered Epimachus to be crucified and his head to be cut off. The executioner drew his sword but his strength failed. The same thing happened with another executioner, and so with fourteen others. When they failed to cut off his head, they tied a rope around his neck and dragged him until he died.
A deaf and mute soldier touched the body, and he instantly heard and spoke. Some of the Christians from the city of Edku took the body and several signs and wonders took place from it. His kinsfolk from Demera carried the body to El-Barmoun with great honor. The governor of El-Barmoun shrouded the body with expensive shrouds and built a church after Saint Epimachus, where the body was placed.
The feast of Saint Epimachus of Pelusium falls on 14 Pashons
Pashons 14 (Coptic Orthodox liturgics)
13 Pashons - Coptic calendar - 15 Pashons-Fixed commemorations:All fixed commemorations below are observed on 14 Pashons by the Coptic Orthodox Church-Saints:*Saint Pakhom , *Saint Epimachus of Pelusium-References:*...
in the Coptic Orthodox Church, and on 14 October in the Eastern Orthodox Church.