St. Symeon Metaphrastes: The Struggle of the Holy Martyrs Victor and Stephanis
Introduction Sts. Victor and Stephanis were martyred under one of the Antonines, either Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (r. 161-180) or his predecessor, Antoninus Pius (r. 138-161). This life was written by St. Symeon Metaphrastes, in the 10th century. He is famous for his collection of saints' lives, the Menologion. (In Greek, this word would mean "month-book," as it provides the lives of the saints for each day of the year, arranged by the month of their feast.) He may have merely collected many of his saints' lives rather than writing them himself; however, it is through him that so many have reached us, so we still have him to thank, either way. Feast Day: May 14 Sts. Victor and Stephanis In those days, in which the Christians were persecuted by the king of the Romans Antoninus, him being pagan, and by Sebastian his duke, there was a man from Italy, a Christian soldier, altogether reverent and fearing God, named Victor. To this one the duke said, “Writings of the king...