Martyr Euporus of Crete

Martyr Euporus, a native of Gortyna, the metropolitan city of Crete, was one of ten Christians from different parts of the island (five of them, including Euporus, from Gortyna) seized during the persecution under Emperor Decius in the mid-3rd century. Brought to trial before the island's governor, all ten firmly confessed Christ and rejected pagan idolatry. For thirty days they were subjected to torture but did not renounce their faith, praying instead for the enlightenment of their persecutors; in the end all were beheaded. The group of the Ten Martyrs of Crete comprised: Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, and Eunicianus (of Gortyna), Zoticus (of Knossos), Pompius (of Lyttos), Agathopus (of Panormus), Basilides (of Kydonia), and Evarestus (of Heraklion). No individual biographical details about Euporus beyond his birthplace have survived — all ten are invariably venerated as a single group. Their memory is kept on December 23/January 5.