Martyr
Martyr Hierax of Syria
III век — †249-251
Martyr Hierax of Syria — one of the seven children of Martyrs Terentius and Neonilla of Syria, who together with his entire family (parents and six brothers and sisters: Sarvilus, Photus, Theodulus, Nitas, Vilus, and Eunicia) suffered a martyr's death during the persecution of Emperor Decius (249-251).
Martyr Hierax was one of the seven children of the Christian married couple Terentius and Neonilla, who came from Syria. During the persecution of Emperor Decius (249-251), the entire family — parents and seven children (Sarvilus, Photus, Theodulus, Hierax, Nitas, Vilus, and Eunicia) — openly confessed faith in Christ and denounced pagan idol worship.
For this the family was subjected to cruel torture: they were hanged and flayed, their wounds doused with vinegar and burned; thrown to be devoured by wild beasts — but the beasts did not touch them; boiled in tar — but this too caused them no harm. Convinced of the futility of the torments, the soldiers beheaded the whole family one by one: first Terentius, then Neonilla, and then all seven children in turn, including Hierax.