Martyr
Martyr Fausta of Cyzicus
ок. 298 — †ок. 311
Martyr Fausta of Cyzicus — a virgin, orphaned young and raised in piety; during the persecution under Emperor Diocletian, at age thirteen she was handed over to the pagan priest Evilasius to force her renunciation of Christ, but by her steadfastness converted him to Christ instead; together with Evilasius and the governor Maximus, who also came to believe, she was boiled to death in a cauldron of pitch.
Martyr Fausta came from the city of Cyzicus in Mysia (Asia Minor), was orphaned young, and was raised in Christian piety. During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305), the local governor handed the thirteen-year-old Fausta over to an eighty-year-old pagan priest named Evilasius, charging him with persuading the girl to renounce Christ. However, the very steadfastness and courage of the young Christian under torture made such an impression on the elder that not only could he not induce her to apostatize, but he himself came to believe in Christ. Learning of this, the local governor Maximus subjected both of them to torture; but he too, seeing their unshakeable faith, was converted to Christ. In the end, all three — Fausta, Evilasius, and Maximus — were put to a torturous death: boiled alive in a cauldron of pitch. Their memory is kept on February 6/19.