Martyr
Martyr Romanus of Caesarea
† 303
Also known as: Роман Антиохийский, Роман диакон, Роман, диакон Кесарийский
A deacon of the Church of Caesarea in Palestine who was martyred at Antioch at the start of Diocletian's persecution: after denouncing idolatry he was tortured, condemned to the stake, had his tongue cut out and was strangled in prison in 303. The boy martyr Barulas is commemorated with him.
Martyr Romanus came from Palestine and served as a deacon of the Church of Caesarea. His martyrdom is first recorded by his contemporary Eusebius of Caesarea in The Martyrs of Palestine, and was later celebrated by the Latin poet Prudentius.
When the persecution under Diocletian began in 303, Romanus was in Antioch, encouraging the Christians to stand firm. According to his Life, he persuaded them to defend their church when the governor Asclepiades wanted to destroy it, and later, during a pagan festival, he openly denounced idolatry before the crowds. He was arrested and tortured. During the torture he pointed to a Christian boy, Barulas, saying that the child was wiser than the governor because he knew the true God; the boy confessed Christ, was scourged and beheaded, his mother encouraging him to the end.
Romanus was condemned to be burned, but, according to the Life, a sudden downpour put out the fire. His tongue was then cut out, yet he continued to praise God. After a long imprisonment with his feet in the stocks he was strangled on the emperor's order, on 17 November 303 according to the note in St Dimitry of Rostov's Menaion. The Russian Church commemorates the deacon Romanus and the boy Barulas on 18 November (1 December), together with the Martyr Plato of Ancyra.