Martyr

Martyr Agathoclia

A Christian servant tortured for eight years by her Arian mistress for refusing to renounce Orthodox faith.

Martyr Agathoclia was a servant to a Christian man named Nicholas. His wife Paulina, who held the Arian heresy, tortured Agathoclia for eight years, trying to force her to renounce the Orthodox faith and accept Arianism: she struck her neck with stones, made her walk barefoot on sharp stones, once broke her ribs with an iron hammer, and finally cut out her tongue. Having imprisoned the martyr and starved her, Paulina discovered that birds brought the captive food daily; enraged, she entered the dungeon and killed the saint.

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