Synaxarium
Daily Stories of the Saints
for the Blessed Month of Baramoudah
The Twenty-Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Baramoudah
Baramouda 27
Martyrdom of St.Boctor Ebn Romanus
On this day, the honorable Saint Boctor (Victor) Ebn Romanus,
the minister of Emperor Diocletian, was martyred. His mother Martha had
reared him in the Christian ethics. He was promoted in the ranks in the
kingdom until he became the third in succession. He was then twenty years
old. He prayed and fasted much, visited the prisoners and assisted the
poor and needy. When they cut off the head of St. Theodata, the mother
of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, no one dared to bury her because they feared
the Emperor. This Saint went forth and took the body, shrouded it, then
buried her, not caring about the Emperor's order. St. Boctor often admonished
his father for worshipping the idols, so his father accused him before
the Emperor. The Emperor had him brought and asked him to worship the idols
to obey the imperial order. The saint took off his soldier girdle and threw
it in his face saying: "Take your gift that you gave me." His father suggested
to the Emperor to send him to Alexandria to be tortured there. On their
way, his mother bid him farewell, crying, and he asked her to care for
the poor, the widows, and the lonely. When he arrived to Alexandria, the
governor Armanius tortured him many tortures, then he sent him to the governor
of Ansena, who tortured him also, then cut off his tongue and plucked out
his eyes. The Lord strengthened and comforted him every time. There was
a fifteen years old girl who was watching his torture from the window of
her house. She saw a crown coming down over his head. She confessed that
before the governor and all those who were present. The Governor ordered
her head to be cut off and also the head of St. Boctor. They received the
crown of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a district in Alexandria
until now known as El Boctoriah (Victoria), named after this Saint, because
probably there was a church on his name in this district.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.